Teach Me
by Wildfire707
Summary: The land of Albion has become corrupt and weak under the rule of a tyrant. The people cry for freedom, and their rebellion gives rise to an unlikely hero. Prince Erick is pushed along the path of revolution to claim the throne from his brother, King Logan. The world is a cruel place, and even heroes can be broken. *Fable 3 (Rated T for violence. No crude language or adult themes.)
1. Chapter 1: Cruelty

**This is a story based off of Fable 3 from Lionhead Studios. I do not own the characters or the game. Of course, I have changed the attributes of the prince who I named Erick. I also go a little more in depth with his thoughts and feelings. I have taken dialogue straight from the game and I tried to copy it word for word. I have also added quite a lot of dialogue for Erick since the prince doesn't talk much.**

**This is based on the gameplay and starts right after the into in game. (I might put an introduction in later.) I haven't played Fable 2 yet, (getting it in the mail) and I haven't finished Fable 3. I know, I'm pathetic. So i might go back and update some chapters as I get further on or get new story ideas, but I will be sure to let you guys know.**

**(Just so you know, the sentences that are italicized are Erick's thoughts or if they have quotation marks then they are the words of random people that Erick overhears. it's a new thing I'm trying out and it may be a little bit confusing but that is the style of this book and will come in later in the story.)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Prince Erick's long rest was disturbed as the thick red curtains opened, the overcast sky brightening his spacious room.

"What a dreadfully sorry sight," a voice said in an exasperated tone. "Such a beautiful day to waste in bed, don't you agree?"

"What?" Erick moaned, turning over and burying his face under the thick velvet covers. "Oh, go away Jasper," he said, recognizing the voice of his butler.

"Now that is hardly the response of a prince," Jasper replied undaunted. He was a slender old man, but not enough so to make him frail. His pure white hair was properly groomed and a long curl was pushed back from his wrinkled forehead.

"I'm afraid that it is time to rise. Now with your permission, I shall wake your sleeping companion." Jasper pulled back the covers to reveal a gorgeous, long haired Border Collie. "Ah yes, one's heart soars before such regal bearing."

Erick slothfully turned over and ran his hand through the dog's clean, black and white fur.

"I trust you both slept well. You have a busy day ahead," Jasper said.

"Come on Sam. If I have to get up, so do you." The dog enthusiastically hopped off the luxurious bed and sat at Jasper's feet with pleading brown eyes.

"It's not going to work. Don't look at me like that. Oh very well. Good dog." Jasper bent down and gently patted the dog's head, carefully not to let it lick his freshly washed white gloves.

Erick emerged from the comfortable bed and gave a loud groan as he stretched.

"What a pair," Jasper commented, shaking his head. "The kingdom is doomed."

"Now don't be like that Jasper," Erick replied, removing his nightcap to reveal short wavy blue hair. "I'm not that hopeless am I?"

Jasper gave a light grunt and walked away. "Now sir, If you would follow me, perhaps we can find some appropriate clothes for today's activities."

Erick looked at his dog, which cocked its head. "Fine, whatever you say." He drowsily walked over to where Jasper stood in front of the fireplace.

"Lady Elise is most eager to speak to you this morning, and is waiting for you in the garden. No doubt you will want to look your best for you young _friend_," Jasper said with a knowing tone. Erick and Elise grew up together and it was no secret to his butler that Erick had some deeper feelings than just friendship for the young maiden.

"I guess I shouldn't keep her waiting then. So, what have you got for me?"

"Lady Elise is a delightful girl, but I don't believe your pajamas will do much to impress her. I have taken the liberty of arranging two suitable outfits, if you would care to choose."

The mannequins stood in front of the roaring fire. The one to the right was an exquisite blue and white suit with gold trim and white gloves; a little fancier then he was used to. The other one looked more practical, but a little too much so. It looked almost like a coal miner's garb. He didn't much care for the pompous look, but he didn't want to look like a peasant either. After a few more seconds, he took the fancier clothes.

"Ah, splendid choice. I'm sure Lady Elise will approve."

"Thanks," Erick muttered as he slipped them off the mannequin.

"I have a feeling that Lady Elise is concerned about your brother's latest actions," Jasper said as Erick started to get dressed.

"Oh really? What has he done now?"

"I will leave it to her to fill you in on the details," Jasper said, sounding like he wanted to avoid the conversation altogether.

"So, how do I look?" Erick asked.

"Ah yes, much less lethargic." Jasper said, coming forward to straighten his collar and tame his ruffled hair. "Perhaps you ought to make your way to her now." One lock still stuck out and hung over his forehead, but in the end he let be.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you wanted me out of the castle," Erick teased as he put on the tall black boots.

"Now why would I want that? My only purpose is to serve you my prince," Jasper said with a low bow.

"You're not fooling anyone. I know that the moment I leave, you go about reading all those dusty old books." Erick's room had two walls with bookshelves floor to ceiling, and he knew for a fact that Jasper had read almost every one of them twice.

He was almost out the door when Jasper spoke again. "I would recommend avoiding your brother today. King Logan is rumored to be in an ill temper."

That seemed to be the only mood that Logan was capable of the past few weeks, but if Jasper was mentioning it then it must be worse than usual.

Erick pushed open the doors and inhaled a deep breath of the semi-fresh air. It was nice to be out of his stuffy chamber, but the tinge of industrial fumes detracted from its splendor.

"Have a good day sir," Jasper said as he left.

"Will do. Bye Jasper," he replied with a smile.

Erick moved though the double doors and began walking across the cobblestone terrace. Two soldiers in red military uniforms saluted him as he passed. "Good day," he said with a nervous smile. He hated it when they did that, it was rather embarrassing. A nice hello would be preferred.

His dog barked at the ravens as they went down the stairs and another guard saluted him. He feel rude ignoring them, so he went up and shook his hand and greeted him. The guard gave a look of surprise, but then shook his hand with a smile.

Erick walked away and stopped to admire the statue of his brother, Logan. The statue stood on a large pedestal, leaning on an elegant sword and one arm raised to point at something no one else could see. It's face was set in a stern look, like a general on the battlefield.

When he closed his eyes he could see Logan's chiseled face and sleek black hair. He had the elegant physique that every king should have. The only thing the marked his perfect face was a long scar over the left side his mouth, which was finely carved into the statue's countenance. Erick had fantasized about being king, but he could never see himself looking as noble as his brother. He was just an awkward young boy that was too afraid to even go outside Browerstone.

"It's wonderful to see you again my prince," a noble woman said daintily, disturbing him from his thoughts.

"The pleasure's all mine," he said, shaking her hand. "Pardon me, I have somewhere I need to be."

"Don't let me keep you," she said with a light giggle.

Erick awkwardly turned away again and continued through the garden, giving only a small wave to everyone else who greeted him. He found himself stopping to admire the garden quite often. He liked being out in the open but the garden, even with its exquisite flowers and finely trimmed hedges, got boring after a while. He paused at the garden's centerpiece; a large cylindrical building, its stone walls a welcoming bronze in the morning sun. He felt particularly drawn to it at that moment, which was unusual considering that he stubbornly ignored it most of the time.

"The royal mausoleum is closed by the order of King Logan," a solider standing guard announced.

"Even for me?" Erick asked. He didn't want to go in there, in fact he dreaded it, but the fact that Logan thought it necessary to declare it off limits made him a little upset.

"No one may enter the tomb," the solider stated. "Your brother has decreed it sir."

"Alright, I got it," Erick said, throwing his hands up in defeat. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Lately the castle had seemed so restricting. He wished that he could go see the vast forests to the East that were visible on clear days, but the world outside the castle was terrifying. He had barely even stepped into Browerstone market and he was high tailing it back to his secluded bedroom. The kind of people there were just so awful and filthy, both in body and mind.

He was wandering aimlessly when his dog suddenly ran off. He turned to see Elise standing by the garden fence. Her long auburn hair was held back by a jeweled headband and ran down her back in large ringlets. Her simple purple and tan dress looked like a blooming flower; so alluring and sweet, but too precious to pick.

Elise got down on one knee and scratched behind the dog's ears as it came running up to her. "Oh, brave knight, have you come to protect me?" she said with a gentle laugh. "You big softie, you'd be rubbish in a fight, wouldn't you?"

"I'll protect you my lady!" Erick announced, coming forward with a broad smile.

"Hmm, I don't know. You don't look so tough either," she teased, standing up and placing a hand on her cocked hip. She gave a light hum as she tapped a finger against her lips. "Perhaps you could give me a demonstration on your abilities?"

She looked at him with dazzling chestnut eyes and a tempting smile. Should he kiss her? Was now a good time? What if she didn't feel the same way about him?

He figured that he was moving too fast, and decided to play it safe with a friendly hug. He held her tightly and gently laid his face into her soft hair. He embraced her for a second longer, then gently released her and backed away.

"How's that?" Erick asked with a smile.

"I suppose you'll have to do."

"Then that's good enough for me."

"I thought you'd never get up," Elise said with a playful smack. "Did Jasper tell you I wanted to speak to you?"

"Yes, did something happen?" Elise's tone frightened him. It sounded like something serious. Definitely not what he was hoping for.

"I'm not sure. But everyone in the castle seems to be upset with your brother. More than usual."

Erick looked down and gave a heavy sigh, crossing his hands behind his back.

"And its even worse down in the city," Elise continued, stepping up to the fence railing. Erick reluctantly followed. He hated looking over the wall, even so much that he avoided the outskirts of the castle garden. Huge smokestacks reached up to the sky, spewing dark gray plumes. The houses and factories were dull, and almost the same shade of grey as the smoke. It was like nobody cared about them at all. The trees in the distance were hidden by the thick smoke, hiding all beauty that could possibly contrast the horrid sight.

"You hear such terrible stories. Listen," Elise urged as he joined her. "They say a factory worker was executed this morning. I'm sure it's only a rumor, but you can imagine how people are talking." She paused as they both looked out on the city. "The staff in the castle are anxious. I told them you'd speak to them. Will you do that? I'm afraid of what might happen if someone doesn't calm things down."

"And you think I can?" Erick asked, hopping down from the fence.

"You're the prince, they'll listen to you," she said, joining him down on the soft grass.

"Do you think it will help?"

"I do. They may fear the king but they still care for their prince."

Erick nodded, but couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye. She put so much trust in him, but what if he let her down? He wasn't good with words, how was he supposed to do anything to help? He was still just a child, no one would listen to him.

"So, my good prince, will you take my hand and escort me to the castle? Everyone's waiting for you." She was so confident. So stunning. Erick leaned forward without hesitation and gently clasped her hand.

"Good, now let's go."

He gave a playful smirk, and lead her back through the garden.

"I can't believe your brother could have had a worker executed."

"Yeah, me neither," Erick muttered under his breath so Elise couldn't hear.

"But sometimes I think... Well, that there's something wrong with him. He's changed so much, and he looks so tired all the time."

"Do you think I haven't noticed?" There was an edge of bitterness to his voice that he hadn't intended. This was his older brother, the one person he looked up to. He was so great and powerful, but Elise was right; he had changed.

"I'm sorry," Elise said quietly.

Erick paused and turned to face her. "No, I'm sorry. That came out wrong."

"You don't have to apologize. I understand. It must be very hard on you. I told Sir Walter about the speech. He'll be there to support you."

Chills raked down Erick's spine. Walter was going to be there? What if he screwed up? What if he said something wrong? Walter would think that he was a blubbering idiot. The last thing he'd ever want to do would be to disappoint him.

"I don't know what this place would like be without him."

"He's really something isn't he?" Erick said.

"Undoubtedly. I'm sure he'll want you to continue with your instruction today. He seems obsessed with combat training lately."

They came around the corner and started up the steps to the castle. "You're so unlucky," Elise said, "having that statue of your brother right outside your window. I think it'd give me nightmares."

Erick paused and watched for a few seconds as a servant was dusting the stone plaque. His eyes were drawn back up to its stern face. "Yeah, it does." He did have nightmares occasionally, but they weren't of his brother. They were of him trying to be his brother. He was the one on the pedestal, with the people mocking and scorning him from below. Trapped on a dazzling white pillar with everyone laughing at him.

"Come on, lets go," Elise beckoned, pulling his arm.

Erick tore his eyes away from the statue and continued up the stairs and almost ran over a small, scrambling, black creature.

"What is that?" Elise called out in surprise.

"I think it's a chicken," Erick muttered, but he wasn't sure. It's feathers seemed to be burned black, but it was still valiantly charging onward.

"Poor thing, I wonder what it's doing out here."

"Come on, let's just leave it."

He noticed yet another solider standing guard in front of a set of doors. He couldn't even remember what that room was, but it was rare for a common door to be inaccessible.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Erick asked the guard.

"Apologies Prince, but the library has been decreed off-limits."

"Off limits? What for?" he asked.

"King Logan is conducting official business," the solider answered promptly.

"Understood," Erick muttered, leading Elise back towards the kitchen where the staff was waiting.

"Every time I hear that I get nervous," Elise said.

"You, nervous? I don't think I believe that," Erick laughed.

"Of course! Who knows what he's going to do next."

"Hmm, I guess you're right." Elise always was more concerned about politics than he was. He'd probably be more concerned if he payed attention to those sort of things.

"Well, come on," Elise urged him. They walked through the corridor and Erick let go of her hand as they entered the kitchen. He waited for a moment as he heard one of the chefs talking.

"Well, I heard all he did was stand up for one of the kids working in the factory."

"Who knows where it ends. Next you know it's one of us thats–"

"Quit your gossiping now!" the steward interjected, noticing Erick and Elise waiting at the door. "And straighten those clothes," he added quieter.

"Welcome your majesty," he greeted Erick with a bow. "Such an honor to have you here today." Erick thought he should respond but his throat suddenly closed up. "The staff have convened to hear your words. Whenever you're ready."

Erick was so nervous, he hadn't even thought about what to say. What could he say? These people were just as scared as him. Everyone was looking at him. He did a quick look around the room but Walter wasn't there. He took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. He hadn't rehearsed anything, so he'd just have to speak his mind. Tell the truth about what he was thinking.

"You have all been through some difficult times, and the king has been too...preoccupied to treat you as he should. But I ask you to ignore any wild rumors you hear. I promise to speak to my brother about improving conditions for both you and your families outside the castle. Thank you."

As he spoke, Walter came down the carpeted stairs, his powerful sword clinking gently with each sturdy step. Or was that the beer mug on his belt? His red clothes looked a deep crimson in the shade of the stairway, the gold trim worn from use. He folded his burly arms against his chest as his thick eyebrows furrowed.

"You call that a royal speech?" he asked gruffly. As he stepped forward, the kitchen staff drew back and continued their work. "You didn't shout, you didn't threaten, and you were far too reasonable." Erick recoiled at his harsh words, but instantly relaxed as Walter gave a deep chuckle. "It was bloody marvelous."

Erick beamed and strode forward. "It's good to see you Walter."

"Same to you." Walter's bushy grey mustache lifted as he smirked, creating wrinkles around his warm brown eyes. "Right then, ready for today's training?"

"Absolutely!"

"Take good care of him Walter," Elise said as he turned and went back up the stairs.

"I suppose you've heard the rumors then," Walter said once they got to the top.

"Yes, I did."

"Well, I'm afraid they're quite true. Who knows what your brother will do next."

Erick's heart sank. He was hoping that Walter would tell him that it was just idle talk, and there was nothing to worry about. The way Walter spoke made it sound worse then he had originally thought.

"In the meantime, the mood in the castle is getting more uneasy by the day. I think you have a knack for reaching out to people."

"Really? You think so?"

"Yes," Walter chuckled. "They all looked up to you back there. The way they look up to a leader."

They continued in silence for a few moments and Erick watched Walter's bulky brown boots trump across the carpet as he followed behind. They passed a few more guards who of course stood at attention and saluted them. They passed through the open doors to the entryway where a large group of peasants had gathered. The royal guards stood on all sides of them, keeping them just inside the door.

The royal guards were Logan's personal soldiers, and answered to no one else but him. They were dressed in silver armor and adorned with purple cloth. They didn't even glance Erick's way as he entered, but he knew they were watching.

In contrast, the peasants' clothes were brown and ragged, not a single swath of clean fabric on them. As they approached, Erick could hear their complaints and accusations. He could hear their fear, but under it was anger. They were furious, and terrified. The worst combination.

"A lot of people to see your brother today. Poor sods," Walter said with a shake of his head.

A lanky man stood in front, a clipboard in his dirty hands. He waved enthusiastically as they approached and addressed Walter. "Sir Walter. What a stroke of luck! Would you be so kind as to sign my petition?" the man asked, extending the paper and quill to him. Erick recognized him as a man named Laszlo, a regular at the castle gates. He cleared his throat and continued in a formal tone, rephrasing lines he practiced beforehand. "We must fight to eradicate poverty in Albion. Too many suffer on our streets, and the king does nothing. He must be made to care."

"Oh, very well, but I'm just an old solider," Walter stated. "I doubt my name would mean anything." Laszlo retracted the clipboard, a look of disappointment on his round face. "But perhaps the Prince here would care to help you out." Walter extended a hand towards Erick, and he stepped forward.

"Oh," Laszlo said in surprise. "T-that would be wonderful. Y-your majesty. It would be t-the greatest honor." With trembling hands, he then extended it to Erick. "It's an important cause, I'm sure you agree."

Erick stared at it for a moment, thinking of what to say. He didn't think it would help any, and he didn't particularly want to throw his opinion in his brother's face like that. In the end, he succumbed, and took the quill. "I'd be happy to sign," he said kindly.

"Thank you, my good prince," Laszlo said in humble gratitude and relief. "Your support will make all the difference, I'm certain of it."

So confident. So hopeful. There didn't seem to be a trace of doubt in his voice.

"That was a courageous move," Walter complimented him. "I don't think it will make much of a difference, but perhaps your brother will finally realize that you have a mind of your own."

"I sure hope so," Erick said to himself.

"Let's see you put it to use in the combat room. Come on," Walter said enthusiastically, his cheerful demeanor returning. "You've made good progress these past few weeks, but today isn't about practice. I want you to fight me as if your life depended on it."

"Fight you, Sir Walter?" Erick asked, pausing just inside the room.

"Yes, of course. One day the people of Albion are going to need you. I have to find out just how ready you are."

"I hope I don't disappoint you."

Walter gave a rumbling laugh. "I don't think that's possible." He ruffled Erick's hair vigorously then pushed him towards the sword rack. "Alright, grab a sword."

Erick grabbed the top one and returned to the center of the room. Walter unsheathed his sword and held it to the side. "Fight!"

Erick quickly assumed the offensive stance that Walter taught him; his feet wide and sword drawn back. They circled each other for a moment, then drew closer. Walter stroke first, forcing him to switch his stance. The sheer power behind his attack was unbelievable, and with only one hand.

"You're stronger than you think you are," Walter assured him. "You just have to believe." Erick quickly sliced at him twice, once on each side. Walter blocked them both easily. "Ha! Well done!" Walter said. In return, he gave a single blow that almost knocked the young prince to his knees.

"Do you remember the stories I'd tell you when you were a child? Of your father, the great Hero King?" Walter said as their fight dragged on. "You'd never get tired of hearing those stories."

"Only because you were the one telling them." Erick got in three quick strikes against Walter's sword before he knocked him back again.

"And after every one do you remember what you'd say?"

For Erick it seemed like it was only yesterday when Walter last told him the tale. "Teach me how to be a hero!"

"Every single time," Walter chuckled. They exchanged a few more blows as they circled each other. No matter what, he could never get past Walter's guard. It was like he knew exactly where he would strike. "I wish that was something an old soldier like me could teach you, but I've done my best. Now I need you to do your best. Strike me!"

Erick quickly sliced at him again, their swords clashing with a harsh sound.

"I'm not made of straw, strike harder! What are you afraid of? Hit me!" Walter called out again. He spun around and smashed his sword into Erick's, almost knocking him to the ground. "You're not trying hard enough. Again! Show me your true strength."

"I'm trying!" Erick yelled in frustration. Walter was a war hero, how could he expect him to be able to defeat him in battle?

"Don't think of me as Walter, think of me as an enemy. Strike!"

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't imagine Walter ever wanting to hurt him. Okay, that last blow spurred his imagination a little.

"Come on, is that all you've got? I know you have it in you, do it!" Walter continued taunting him. Erick sporadically attacked again, his arms already beginning to grow tired. "You can do better than that, concentrate! You're holding back, I want you to mean it!"

Erick drew back and took a deep breath. He crouched down low and focused only on Walter who had provoked him by moving his sword to the side, exposing his rib cage. He grabbed the sword in both hands and twisted around, using the momentum from his whole body to send it arcing down.

Walter raised his sword at the last moment and staggered back as the blade snapped. He watched as tit flew to the ground with a sharp clatter. "Ha ha! You only went ahead and broke it!" he exclaimed, pointing at his blade. Erick stayed hunched over. He twisted his neck pretty badly that last strike.

"Look at that!" Walter said in amazement.

Erick looked up as Walter raised the remains of his sword, the blade severed only inches above the hilt. It was a clean cut. Right through the thickest part of the blade.

"Am I a great teacher or what?" Walter snickered. He lowered the handle and looked down at Erick, pride shinning in his eyes. He had that look on his face. That look that Erick couldn't understand. It was like he was looking into heaven. That was the only way he could explain it, and even that seemed to fall short.

"But listen," Walter said, all playfulness gone from his eyes. "There's something–"

"Walter!" The doors burst open and Elise entered the room. "You have to come quickly, both of you!"

"What's happened?" Walter asked."

"Outside the castle. It looks like a demonstration."

Erick looked up at Walter, waiting for him to tell him what to do. "This is not good," Walter muttered to himself.

Elise turned back to the corridor and they quickly ran to the front room. "They're right inside the castle grounds," Elise said, leading them to the front doors. "I've never seen so many people out there."

"Balls. I should have known this would happen," Walter said, rubbing his short grey hair. "I don't think they realize what your brother is capable of. This isn't going to end well."

They looked out the window where a large rabble of people stood right under the balcony, angrily shaking their fists and spitting curses.

_"Let Albion free!"_

_"Give us freedom!"_

_"We have rights!"_

"It's been a long time since Logan's listened to me, but I should find him," Walter said. "Stay here. There's still something we need to talk about," he added, laying a hand on Erick's shoulder. He continued up the stairs, leaving them to look out the window at the vile mob.

"We can't just stand here," Elise whispered, grabbing Erick's arm.

"Well I'm not going out there," Erick said, pointing out the window.

"I have a horrible feeling about this."

"Yeah, it's called being scared to death," Erick said sarcastically.

"Quit joking around! We need to do something!"

"Okay, then what?"

"Look, the guards have moved away from the stairs. We should follow Walter, find out what Logan's going to do."

"That's your plan? That's insane!"

"You have a better one?" Elise asked harshly, jabbing him in the ribs.

"Yeah, do what Walter said: stay here, and keep out of it."

"Grow a backbone Erick! These are your people! Logan is going to kill them if we don't do something! Now let's go while we can."

Erick was forced to follow as Elise dragged him by the hand. He was fine with the protesting, the petitions and even the shouting, but would it be too much to ask for his people to have a little better hygiene?

"They must be in the war room," Erick said as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Then let's get there before anyone sees us." They ran through the hallway, and Erick hesitated as Elise ran up to the door and looked through the keyhole. "Quick, you can see them." She beckoned him over and laid a finger against her lips. She moved over and they both looked through a keyhole.

"Think about what you're doing Logan," Walter pleaded.

Erick's skin went pale as he heard his brother's silken voice on the other side. "I'm protecting the interests of the people. Do not question me again!" he demanded. His hand cut through the air like the blade of a guillotine, making his black cape wave like a pirate's flag. He turned to face a guard out of Erick's view, revealing sunken cheeks and hollow black eyes. "You will shoot to kill. Start with the ringleaders, and if necessary, continue with the crowd."

Walter's eyebrows lowered further in unbelief at every word. "This is wrong," he stepped forward but the royal guards held crossed their rifles in front of him, halting his approach. He shoved the guns away and continued forward. "You can't do this!" One of the guards slammed the butt of his rifle into the back of his knee and he collapsed to the ground, down on his knees like a struck dog.

Elise clasped her hand over her mouth as she let out a small gasp. Erick ground his teeth and clenched his fists against the wooden door.

"Never tell me what I can't do," Logan growled, glaring down at the larger man.

Elise backed away from the door, and Erick followed. "We can't let him kill all those people," she whispered. "You're his brother, maybe he'll listen to you."

The dominant thought running through Erick's head at the moment was; _I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning._ Things were just going from bad to worse. He still just wanted to stay out of it. What did he care about those people? They didn't mean anything to him. If they were stupid enough to oppose Logan, then maybe they deserved to die.

"We have to do something," Elise said, grabbing his shoulders.

"I can't. What can I do? Logan won't listen to me, he won't listen to anybody. What's the point in even trying?"

"Because that's what heroes do. They try when no one else will. Please, you can save them."

Erick wanted to run. He wanted to get away from all of it. But he found himself opening the door and standing before Logan as everyone turned to face him.

"What are you doing here?" Logan immediately asked, not waiting for an answer. Good thing too, because he probably would have just blurted out some sort of ridiculous compliment on how good his goatee looked that morning. "The war room is no place for a child. Leave now."

Erick would have liked to willingly comply, but one look at Walter crouched on the ground made his blood boil. No one could do that to his mentor and get away with it. "I'm here to stop you," he said with renowned vigor. "You can't kill those people."

"No, wait..." Walter began to protest.

"Enough!" Logan snapped, silencing Walter. "How dare you turn against me?" Logan asked Erick, forcing him to take his eyes off Walter. "Perhaps you believe you should be the one making these decisions." Logan's eyes bore into him. Erick tried to look away, but those black eyes drew him back in.

"You really wish to defend those traitors? Then so be it." He raised his hand, and the two guards grabbed Erick and Elise roughly. "Let us see how you do. Take my brother and his friend to the throne room. We shall settle this matter officially."

They were shouldered through the doors by the purple clad guards, their faces hid by silver masks. They were taken through the hallway while Logan went through the door in the war room.

"Move!" a guard demanded, guiding them into the large room.

"I'm going!" Elise said stubbornly. When she didn't move fast enough, the guard shoved her forward, knocking her to the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Erick shouted. He tried to push back the guard that hit Elise, but another one stepped in front and forced him back with a rifle. He quickly turned and knelt down beside Elise.

"I'm all right," she insisted. "I'm all right."

"Don't worry," he said as he lifted her to her feet. "Whatever happens, we'll get through this together."

"Keep walking," another guard demanded.

Logan was sitting on the throne with a look that only royalty could achieve. Walter stood at his right hand, although he didn't look to happy about it. "Here come the saviors of the people," Logan said as they entered. "Come closer, brother."

Erick glanced back at Elise as he stepped forward, his hand slipped from hers as he approached the steps.

"Today you have disappointed me beyond measure. I have been betrayed by my own blood, and a filthy spy." Logan shifted in his seat as he looked at Elise.

"We did nothing wrong," Elise tried to interject, but Logan continued.

"Punishment must be apportioned where it belongs," Logan said, rising from his seat.

"Punish me then!" Erick volunteered, stepping forward.

"You are no longer a child and it is time I stopped treating you as one." Logan walked down the stairs, one solid step at a time. "You wished to save the traitors who had gathered outside the castle this morning. Very well. You shall have your chance to save them. Here stand the leaders of the violent mob," he said, directing a hand towards three villagers that stood to the side, one of them a young woman. "I will give you a choice. Who will be punished? These strangers, or this girl. The sentence will be death."

"What?" Walter sputtered in disbelief.

"No, this can't be," Elise said.

The villagers gasped, and the woman looked close to tears. As usual, Erick just stood there like a dumb ox.

"You are the prince. Decide."

Erick looked frantically between Logan and Elise, his mind unable to grasp what was happening.

"Your majesty, Logan, please..." Walter said, limping to the stairs.

"I am giving you power over life and death," Logan stated, coming to a stop directly in front of his younger brother.

"No, I won't do this," Erick said, grasping Elise's hand.

"If you can't choose, I will," Logan said sinisterly, glancing back at Walter in defiance. "They will _all_ be executed. So tell me, what are you willing to sacrifice to do the right thing?"

"This is madness, we can't. We just can't," Elise said. "Choose me. You can't let them die." She kept saying that, but why not? Shouldn't they be allowed to die if it meant saving her? Let them die. It wasn't worth it. "Choose me," Elise repeated softly, turning his head to face her with a soft hand. The guards stepped forward and grabbed Elise as Logan returned to stand by the throne.

"Logan please, don't do this!" Erick pleaded. "Just let her go, you've made your point."

"My point will not be made until you choose, and I suggest you do so quickly."

Erick was left alone in the middle of the room, Elise on one side, the traitors on the other. The woman was sobbing now, trying to hide her tears. Walter breathed heavily as he looked down at him from beside the throne. They were all waiting for him now.

"There's only one decision you can make, it has to be me," Elise told him.

Blood was pounding through his ears, his heartbeat rattling his eardrums. It was all happening to fast. It couldn't be real.

"Are you listening to me? Pick me."

He couldn't do this, he just couldn't. There had to be another way. He didn't want to make the choice, it was too hard.

_"I don't want to die. I don't want to die!"_

"_Please."_

"_This can't be happening, it can't be!"_

Why? Why did he have to do this? No one had to die. He would lay down his life for Elise, but he couldn't make her do the same for him.

"Those people can't die because of me. I don't want to leave you, but what choice do we have? Erick, I'm telling you, pick me."

"Still having trouble deciding?" Logan asked. "Let me help you. I will give you until the count of five."

"Choose me," Elise begged. "They didn't do anything. It should be me."

"Five."

Erick stood paralyzed as the woman weeped pitifully. He wanted to choose the villagers. They were traitors. Scum.

"Four."

Elise was perfect. She was beautiful and brave and smart and funny. He couldn't kill her.

"Three."

But, those people. They were leading the rebellion. They could help people.

"Two."

But Elise could too. She could help them more than anyone, but more importantly, she could help him.

"One!"

"You have to choose me! It's the only way, you know it is!" Elise shouted. Even so, Erick couldn't speak. She was right, but he didn't want her to die.

"I'm disappointed in you," Logan stated. "Take them all away."

"No!" Erick suddenly broke out of his daze and lurched forward. "I choose Elise!" Logan stopped and glanced back at him. "I'm sorry. Take her. Please, don't kill them all. Take her."

Logan looked down on him incredulously. He looked like he was going to refuse, his cold eyes bearing down on Erick. "Fine," he submitted.

"Thank you," the woman whispered through a veil of tears. "Thank you."

"It's all right," Elise told him. "You did what you had to do. Never forget what he's done. And that I love you."

"Elise, I'm sorry," Erick murmured, leaning close to her. "I–"

"Take the girl away. Kill her now," Logan decreed.

Erick grabbed for her hand, but the guard pulled her away. Her hand remained outstretched as she looked back sorrowfully. There was no fear in her eyes. She knew what she had to do, and she would do it with dignity.

"I will _never_ forgive you for this!" Erick snapped, turning on his brother.

"Good, then you'll never forget it. Escort my brother to his chambers, now."

He watched as the doors closed, his dear friend gone forever. The world already felt a little emptier. A little darker.

"This isn't your fault," Walter's voice echoed through the room. "Erick, listen to me!"

Erick blatantly ignored him. The guards grabbed his arms tightly, expecting some sort of struggle, but Erick merely slumped and let them lead him away.

_Elise, I promise, I'll never forget._

* * *

**Yes, it is very long, I'm sorry. So I hoped you liked it, please rate and review. I would like some hard critiques since this is my first posted book, but some encouragement would also be appreciated. :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Mist and Gold

**So those of you who have stuck with me this far: I thank you. If you are still reading this book then that means that I haven't completely bored you to death and I consider that quite an accomplishment. Already I have received some great encouragement and that is the biggest reason why I am still posting this. **

**So I went back over the first chapter and made some slight modifications to spelling and content flow, and I will do the same for these earlier chapters when I get further along in the story. So if you notice some misspellings or choppy/confusing paragraphs, please let me know in a short review. Thanks!**

**BTW: I decided to name his dog Sam. (I know, creative isn't it?) It is subject to change, so if you have any ideas, let me know! I love hearing from you guys. : )**

* * *

The sun had long fallen below the hills, and prince Erick still stood in his room, the moonlight dimly illuminating his pain stricken face. Elise had been executed early that evening. As the sun set, it matched the color of her brilliant, auburn hair. And then it sank, engulfed by the unforgiving night. He heard the gunshots, but couldn't bring himself to look out the window. He couldn't handle seeing them drag away the remains of his childhood friend.

He kept reviewing all the moments he spent with Elise in his mind, afraid that he might forget. Her smile, her hair, her voice. The one image that kept reoccurring was when she stood before the throne and she repeated '_choose me'_, over and over. He couldn't get that sight out of his mind. He couldn't forgive Logan. He couldn't forgive himself.

Those idiots! Why couldn't they just stay out of the way? That way, perhaps Elise would still be alive. Why? Why hadn't he chosen them? Wasn't Elise more important to him than some stupid uprising? How dare he! How dare Logan make him choose. How dare he take Elise. He was a murderer, plain and simple. And he deserved to be punished.

"You mustn't blame yourself sir," Jasper said quietly, trying to console the young prince. "I don't think any of us realized just how far he'd fallen into madness."

"I have to do something," Erick said in torment. "I can't just stay here."

"You're not." The doors opened and he didn't even have to look up to know that it was Walter. "We're leaving the castle tonight. This kingdom needs nothing less than a revolution. It needs a new leader. It needs a hero. It's time to see if you're ready."

"Ready for what?" Erick knew that Walter was watching him, but he couldn't bring himself to face him.

"To be your father's son."

Erick waited for a few moments, still clutching the armrest of the velvet couch. "Alright. I'm ready. Let's get out of here." He pushed away from the couch but still couldn't look Walter in the eye.

"Very good, I will pack some essentials," Jasper said.

"There's no time," Walter stated. "We take nothing."

"Not even...pajamas?" Jasper asked, mortified of the thought.

Erick walked towards the door where Walter stood, passing Jasper who was quickly scanning the room for something small he could grab.

"Come on. We must leave now."

"Don't worry sir, I shall follow you wherever fate may take us," Jasper said, stalling as he hurriedly snatched up Erick's pajama's, regardless of Walter's instructions. He hurried after them as they exited the room.

"I should have done something in the throne room. I should have stopped him," Walter said, more to himself than to them.

"All you would have accomplished would have been your own death," Jasper said, catching up to him.

"Still, maybe I should have taken you away sooner."

"Were you planning on leaving the castle?" Erick asked him.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

Well, that wasn't much of an answer, but Erick didn't feel like digging deeper for a better one.

"There is something rather sinister about this garden at night," Jasper commented as they passed Logan's statue which was lighted by a small lamp at its base.

"Where are we going? I thought we were leaving the castle." Erick was no expert on prison breaks, but he was pretty sure that a three story drop off the garden wall shouldn't be the first choice.

"We are, but there's something we must do first." Walter lead them further into the garden towards the back wall. It was raining lightly, making it even hard to see in the moonless night. The only thing guiding their way was the small lanterns at even intervals at the side of the road, but Walter seemed to know where he was going.

Erick stopped as they came to the huge stone structure in the center of the garden. "The catacombs? We're going in there?" That place always filled him with a sense of dread, and it definitely was _not_ the place he wanted to be at the moment.

"Yes, It's time we payed our respects to Albion's last hero."

"I never thought I'd enter this place again," Jasper muttered as Walter opened the thick door.

"You should have known better," Walter chuckled. Erick slowly followed them down the stairs, not very eager to continue. "The night your father died, I promised him that I would bring you here one day. When you were old enough, and strong enough. This is _your_ history. This is _your_ legacy. The world has been too long without a hero, but I'm hoping that it will have one soon."

"I'm not a hero," Erick said with slight irritation. "I didn't inherit my father's powers, you know that."

"I guess we'll just have to find out, now won't we?" Walter said.

Erick stopped in front of the two caskets as Jasper and Walter passed him on either side. The former king and queen; the parents he never knew. He looked at the statue bordered by two huge columns; an angel, her face hooded and hands to her chest as if she was weeping.

Walter dropped to one knee and pushed in on a brick at the base of the right column, which gave way and slipped inside. Erick stepped back in surprise as the angel's hands lowered, held suspended by a thick chain. There was a gold and blue disk nestled in her palms which reflected the light of the torches.

"This is your father's most treasured possession: The Guild Seal."

"What is it?" Erick asked, coming closer to inspect it.

"It chooses those who have the power inside of them. Those who have the potential to become legends. Take it," Walter instructed.

He placed a foot on the step and picked up The Guild Seal. It was about the size of a large dinner plate and when he lifted it he could see that it was indeed glowing slightly. But that was all it did. He expected something more than just a fancy wall decoration.

"Is something supposed to happen?" he asked, somewhat fearing the answer. He already knew that he wasn't the hero to save Albion, but inwardly he was kind of hoping for it.

Right after he said that, The Guild Seal burst into light and shook in his hands. He instinctively held it tighter as the light increased even brighter. Everything became a luminescent white although he had screwed his eyes shut. Everything seemed to be dissolving, but he couldn't tell if it was him or his surroundings. He had the sensation of being lifted into the sky and being thrown down to earth at the same time then suddenly he was on solid ground. As he stumbled to catch his footing, he could almost see himself materialize as the bright light faded away.

He held up his hands to inspect them as they flowed back together like grains of sand. They seemed real enough, but something was still off. Before he could figure it out, he saw a shrouded woman standing before him through his fingers. She wore a red and white dress that looked like it belonged to a prophetess and reminded him of the stone angel.

"Who are you?" he asked in bewilderment, lowering his hands. His voice seemed to echo like he was in a small room, but a quick glance showed that he was standing on what was a small island surrounded by a thick white fog, a metal gate the only other thing he could see.

"I am Theresa, the Seer of the Spire," the woman answered. Her voice was silken and resounded around them with a mystical quality, like a handful of voices speaking together.

"Seer?" Erick asked softly. He couldn't really tell from where he was, but it looked like she was blind. Under the hood, her pearly white eyes inspected him closely. Even if she was blind, it felt like she could see into his mind. Which made him uncomfortable to say the least.

"I guided your father in his greatest triumph, but you have an even greater destiny ahead of you. The Seal awoke at your touch, as it would for no one else's. This means the fate of Albion rest on your shoulders."

At her words he could almost feel a heavy yoke being placed onto his shoulders. If anyone else said that, he would have disagreed, but somehow her voice gave it an absolute truth. But, for all he knew he could be hallucinating. Considering his impossible surroundings, he probably wasn't far off.

"Before you lies the path you were born to take, and at its end, the kingdom you were born to rule. Like all heroes, you will face many trials, but you cannot pass through these gates alone. You will need to gather followers and gain the support of the people. For now, you have the support of two friends; Jasper, who will serve you always..." A translucent image of Jasper appeared at her right, almost like a ghost. It looked so real, that for a moment he thought that Jasper must have come in after him, but the fact that he was floating a few inches about the ground dismissed the fact. "...and Sir Walter Beck, who will be your greatest ally." Again, an image of his mentor appeared at her other side.

"Together you have already taken the first step in your journey. Walk through the gate, and claim your reward." Theresa vanished, and Erick was left with the remarkably accurate presentations of Walter and Jasper.

He stepped off the platform, which now he could see bore the shape of The Guild Seal, and approached the gate. He took a moment to run his hand through Walter's unsubstantial arm. "And, that's really creepy."

He felt the bars of the gate before continuing. They felt real enough, but something felt off. It was like he was dreaming. He wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. Everything felt uncanny and fake. There was no wind, and no sound, but for some reason he thought he could hear someone singing.

He pushed against the gate which creaked loudly as it opened. He walked through the thick fog towards a large chest that sat on the path leading to the next gate. There was a large red jewel embedded above the latch. He admired it for a moment before opening it. A surreal flash of glowing sparks shot beside him as he lifted the heavy lid. Inside was a thick leather glove, its surface stained a deep red and a jewel secured to the palm and the back of the hand.

Theresa appeared again, standing behind the chest. "There is a great power inside you. You merely lack the means to unleash it. Take this."

"Oh, so this isn't just for a fashion statement? For a minute there I thought you just wanted to improve my good looks," he said with a smile.

The look on Theresa's face suggested that she was not amused.

"Point taken." Erick grabbed the glove and put it on his right hand, fastening the small buckle at the bottom. It fit perfectly, like he had worn it for years. A gentle light emanated from the crystal on the palm, and he swung it back and forth playfully before giving his attention back to Theresa.

"This gauntlet will channel the magic within you. Use it by the tomb in the mausoleum, and the way out of the castle will open for you," she instructed. "You will return here when you have gathered enough followers to reach the next gate."

Great. So he'd have to come back...

"Now go. Walter and Jasper will follow wherever you lead, and one day perhaps the rest of Albion will do so too." Theresa faded away and a pulsating symbol appeared in front of the next gate, moving like ripples in a clear puddle.

Erick walked to it, taking a moment to scan the empty expanse to either side of him. He put his hand into foam-like mirage and the ground beneath his feet flashed, sending him back into the void. The sensation was much quicker this time, but still plenty disorienting.

He found himself back in the tomb but was now standing on the indentation of The Guild Seal. Walter and Jasper stood in front of him, standing in exactly the same way they where in Theresa's realm. He was just glad that he couldn't see through them.

"Well, do you... Do you feel any different?" Walter asked the moment he touched down. He could breathe now, if that was considered different, but he didn't think that was the answer Walter was looking for, so he just gave a simple, "I don't know."

"Try casting a spell," Walter told him. "That's supposed to be our only way of getting out of here." When Erick looked at his hand, the gauntlet was still there, but it seemed more realistic somehow.

"You might have mentioned that earlier," Jasper pointed out.

"And spoil the surprise?"

"I'm going to agree with Jasper on this one," Erick said. Jasper flashed a triumphant smile towards Walter. "Okay, here goes," he said as he rubbed his palms together. He had no idea what he was doing, but for once he actually believed that he could do it. Whatever _it_ was.

He summed up all of his _power_ that Theresa spoke of, which was just like concentrating as he did before an attack, and took a deep breath. In one fluid move, he opened his palms and turned them over, making both his hands glow. He slammed his hands downward and fire erupted all around him, the flames licking at his feet but not burning him. The fire left as quickly as it had come, but the ground in front of them shook, and split open; the two stone slabs sliding away to reveal a long staircase.

"It bloody worked!" Walter Exclaimed. "You really are a hero!"

Erick gave a pleased smile as he looked down at his hands. Did that mean that he was like his father? A real hero from the old days? As far as he knew, all the heroes had been killed off, which didn't do much to increase his confidence level. Was he the last one?

"I never doubted it for a second," Jasper said haughtily, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Well, of course, neither did it," Walter defended. "Still though..." he paused to chuckle before announcing again, "it bloody worked!" He went on ahead of them down the newly revealed stairs.

Erick tentatively reached forward and poked Jasper's cheekbone, relieved that his finger didn't pass through. Jasper blinked a few times and regarded him strangely.

"Just checking," Erick stated before running ahead to join Walter.

"Somewhat narrow isn't it? Dark too..."

"You never did care for confined spaces, did you, Sir Walter?" Jasper asked with a mocking tone.

"I never did care for being poked in the eye or having my head chopped off, what of it?" Walter snapped.

"Oh dear, I seem to have struck a nerve," Jasper said with credulity.

"How about if I strike a butler on the bonce?" Walter said through clenched teeth.

"Hold on a second Walter, maybe I can help," Erick said, worried that they might start a fight. There were small steel dishes on the ground with oil in the bottom that looked like ancient torches. He gathered up his energy in his right hand and shot a ball of flame at the brazier, igniting its contents.

"That thing does come in handy after all," Walter chuckled, roughing up Erick's hair. Jasper instinctively approached him and patted it back down again. They continued ahead while Erick paused to light another brazier. He ran to catch up as Walter and Jasper came to where the tunnel expanded into a gigantic cavern.

"Ah! Now this is more like it!" Walter said in delight. "Grand, spacious, a plentiful supply of oxygen; just the way a castle's escape route should be."

Erick went up to the edge where he could see the entirety of the cavern. There were large holes in the ceiling where light poured through and when he looked over the edge he could gaze into the shimmering waters of a slow moving river far beneath them. He enjoyed it for a little while longer before following the others down the open path.

"I hesitate to ask, but what is our plan? Other than leaving the castle far behind us, which I wholly approve of, obviously," Jasper said, but with longing in his voice as if he had doubts of leaving the more sanitary conditions of the castle.

"It's simple. We have to stop Logan," Walter said.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Erick asked. "Even if I am a hero, I'm just one person."

"Exactly," Walter said abruptly. "That is why we need to find allies, and lots of them. Once you prove what you are, people will follow you, and many of them will be willing to fight, but they need a leader. Someone to believe in."

Erick wasn't even sure he believed in himself, why should anyone else have a reason to? All he had was a little bit of magic, which only use was as a parlor trick. And opening mystical doors left by his father and some creepy dream lady of course.

"Albion needs nothing less that a revolution," Walter said stoutly.

"Bats!" Jasper cried out. "Take cover!"

"Well, young hero, this is your chance to show us what you've got." Walter pulled out his sword and stood protectively in front of Jasper who was flailing his arms about in an attempt to keep the bats away.

Erick did his best to use his newly discovered power to keep the bats away, but Walter picked off the ones that got past him. Soon all the bats where nothing but burnt corpses on the trail. Okay, maybe a little more than a parlor trick.

"Excellent! Did you see that, Jasper? Did you see it?" Walter said with pride, turning to the disheveled butler. He seemed more excited about Erick's power than he himself was.

"Indeed. Your father would have been proud, sir," Jasper said as he straightened his clothes.

"Well, I know I am," Walter said. "Come on. And I'm proud of you too, old friend," he added as they continued. "I've never seen a man cower with such grace."

"It is merely a matter of hygiene," Jasper remarked. "Bats are filthy creatures."

"Oh burn," Erick said, elbowing Jasper in the side. He didn't know what that meant, it just sort of slipped out in his pyromanic mood. Maybe it would become a popular catch phrase someday.

Walter laughed along with Erick, but Jasper regarded them both with an annoyed expression. "Anyway, I think we've just seen the first proof of what you can do."

"Yep! If you need some bats killed, I'm your man."

"I think you're just a little more important than that. You are the hero who can lead this land in a revolution. Bats are just the beginning."

Erick noticed that they were following him now, which he found a little odd. Usually he was the one in the back. At least there was only one path so he didn't have to worry about leading them the wrong way. They passed many columns and statues in the walls, giving it a certain appeal. The grass was thin on the sides of the dirt road and covered the trail sometimes.

"More bats!" Walter announced as they started down the stairs. This set of vermin was disposed of much quicker then the last as Erick became slowly more confident with the flames.

"Another impressive display sir," Jasper congratulated him. "To think, this morning my job consisted of laying out clothes for royalty. Now I'm a midnight snack for bats." If he didn't regret leaving the castle before, he sure did now.

"You'll get used to it," Walter snickered.

At the base of the stairs there was large swath of moss covered by a thick sheet of water which Erick was reluctant to cross. It would surely stain his white trousers and he'd never get the stench out of his boots. Nevertheless, he continued through it, trying his best to go quickly but not splatter his pants. He shook his feet vigorously when he go to the other side, but it didn't help any.

The beautiful handmade structures ended, leaving them nothing but a rough trial to follow. It was like the escape route was never finished, which didn't encourage him too much.

"You might want to cover your noses from here on," Walter suggested after they crossed. "It's the Browerstone sewers."

"Ah, very well," Jasper said.

"This is disgusting," Erick said, doing his best to cover his nose with his left hand.

"You might want to cover your eyes too, Jasper, More bats!" A swarm of bats erupted from the sewer tunnel and Erick couldn't pick them off before some had ripped holes in his new clothes.

"You've certainly got the hang of that spell," Walter stated.

"Apparently not enough, look what they did to my shirt." Erick showed them his tattered sleeve.

"Not to worry sir, I'm sure I can have it mended in no time."

"Thanks Jasper."

"Shall we proceed?" Walter asked.

"Oh right. Sorry," Erick spluttered before leading the way through the sewer tunnel. Water dripped from the ceiling onto his shoulders, and he flinched back only to have another stream drizzle onto his hair. He found himself glancing over his shoulder towards the castle.

Walter had a sympathetic look on his face, and Erick hastily turned away. Walter opened his mouth to speak, but the prince shuffled forward though the grimy sludge, determination on his fine features.

"Urg, what an Unusual stench. I daresay we must be somewhere beneath Browerstone Industrial," Jasper mentioned. The smell reminded Erick of the same taint he smelled in the garden and the increased proximity did not do the best to improve it.

"Very likely," Walter answered, still following Erick. "Not the safest place for us right now, but we should be able to find a way out of the city once he reach the surface."

"That's not a very fool proof plan," Erick huffed, getting more irritated the further they went.

"I'm afraid that's the best you can get when this man is your strategy expert," Jasper commented, seeing the opportunity for another jab at Walter.

"If it was up to you we'd still be packing back at the castle," Walter pointed out.

"I like to be prepared, that's all."

The sewer split off in two directions, both blocked. The only way to continue was through a small gap in the wall. As they passed through to the other side, there was a cobblestone path extending over a sharp ledge. The problem was that it quickly ended with no other route. It looked like there was a gap in the cave a far way off across a small pond, but it didn't look like it lead outside.

"It appears to be a dead end," Jasper said.

"Not quite," Walter said. At the end of the path there was a circular platform with another image of the Guild Seal in the center.

"What is that?" Erick asked, stopping right in front of it.

"I'm pretty sure it's a Cullis Gate," Walter replied. "Sort of a magical transportation system for heroes."

"I was under the impression that Cullis Gates were all gone."

"Well, it looks like there's one left at least. Your father must have placed this one here in case he ever needed to use it." Walter seemed to more about his father than he did. Kind of unnerving to say the least.

"It's the same symbol that we saw by the tomb. Do you suppose it's activated in the same way?" Jasper asked.

"Well there's only one way to find out. You know what to do," Walter directed.

Erick climbed the few steps and took his place at the center. A quick burst of fire later, and he was surrounded by a mystical blue light. That uncomfortable sensation returned from the fist time he used the Guild Seal, but not nearly as dramatic and disorienting.

Erick had grown accustom to the transference and stuck the landing perfectly. Jasper didn't fare so well. The instant they set down, Jasper's knees buckled and he collapsed back on the ground with a light thud.

"You alright Jasper?" Erick asked, glancing down at his butler on the checkered floor.

"Couldn't be better sir," Jasper replied, but making no move to get up.

"What is this place?" It was a circular room with four doors opposite of where they stood, each one laced with thick cobwebs and covered in dust. Books and papers littered the dirty floor like a trashy room. Small candles at regular intervals around the walls provided some light but the large chandelier suspended above the table in the middle of the room did most of the lighting, but it was still fairly dim. The chandelier looked exactly like the one in his bedroom back at the castle. It reminded him of the nights that he and Elise would lay on the floor underneath it and just talk about whatever came to mind. Erick quickly tried to distract himself before the pain in his chest grew any more.

"You know, it must be," Walter mused, stroking his greying beard, "it is! It's your father's sanctuary!" Walter announced, walking further into the room. Erick hopped off his perch and followed him. "He used to speak of it but I never thought it was a real place. Well I don't believe it," he said, approaching the table which had a very detailed map of Albion on its surface. "Jasper!"

"Hmm?" Jasper looked up from his place on the floor.

"This book, there's a note with your name on it, look."

"That's not possible," Jasper said, pushing himself off the floor and approaching the table. " 'For Jasper'?" he marveled, picking up the small slip of paper. "Well, I grant you it is possible, but it must be a coincidence..." Even so, he slid the book to the edge and began flipping through its pages.

"Oh don't be a dolt," Walter accused. "The old King must have left it here for you. What's it called?"

"The Book of Heroes. How extraordinary."

"Does it tell us how to get out?"

"Uh, I'm still lost on exactly where we are..." Erick muttered, but was ignored as Jasper continued scanning the pages.

"This really is most remarkable. Everything that we could possibly want to know about Heroes and this place is right here in these pages. This map functions as a traveling mechanism. Simply choose where you want to go and, well, it _should_ take you there."

"That doesn't–"

"Marvelous!" Walter announced, inadvertently stopping Erick from complaining. "Right, we can use that. We'll have plenty of time to explore this place later. Right now we have a rather large task ahead of us."

"But I don't even know where to start," Erick added quickly before he could be interrupted again.

"Our first stop will be the mountains of Mistpeak. There are people there who would make great allies. They won't offer their allegiance easily, but they despise Logan. And if anyone can persuade them, it's a hero."

"Very good," Jasper remarked. "I will continue to become acquainted with this sanctuary. No doubt we will need to make for use of its facilities."

"Right, all right then," Walter said eagerly. "Find Mistpeak on the map and let's see if that book is telling the truth."

Erick leaned over the map, but he didn't really know what he was looking for. Logan was the only one in the castle that had one and of course, Erick never got to look at it.

"Now that looks like the Dweller camp In Mistpeak just there," Jasper said, pointing to the finely sculpted mountains. "Select that as your destination and you should be taken there, just like that."

"Okay, here goes." Erick nervously extended his hand and touched the village nestled in the groves of the mountain. A shock ran down his spine and the room around him vanished in an instant, and he was standing on a snow covered hill.

"It worked!" Walter cheered, standing in the snow beside him.

"I'm just glad we didn't get ripped apart or something," Erick murmured.

"Oh, I'd forgotten how bloody cold it is up here," Walter said as he vigorously rubbed his forearms. "Come on, we'd better get moving."

Erick promptly followed as he continued down the hill towards the town.

"The people here call themselves Dwellers," Walter told him as they walked past short, dilapidated walls. "They're tough. They're loyal. And like I told you earlier, they hate Logan's guts."

"This doesn't seem to be a very lively town," Erick said, but that was an extreme understatement. The houses were simply covered wagons set in the snow. The wooden fences were falling apart and the people weren't too impressive either. They walked with their heads down and shuffled their feet and they huddled for warmth around tiny fires.

"It may not look like much, but this is where the revolution begins," Walter assured him.

These people weren't exactly soldier material. They weren't even fit to be servants. Why in the world would Walter bring him here? How could these miserable people help him?

"This is what Logan has reduced them to," Walter continued as the passed the villagers on the scanty trial, attracting more attention then he'd like. "He's taken control of these mountains and started destroying its forests."

Erick had a hard time listening to Walter over the pleas of the people. They watched him with hungry eyes devoid of all hope.

"_All I've eaten this week is snow."_

"_Please! We're all starving!_

_I wish I could give you some food._

"_You've come from the city. From Bowerstone haven't you? You must have some food."_

_I'm sorry, I don't._

"_I'll trade you my doll for some food. She's really good. Honest. Her name's Sadie."_

_I'm sorry. I don't have any. Please stop asking. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

"I knew they'd have a hard time finding food, but I had no idea it was this bad."

"Walter, this is awful," Erick whispered. He wasn't sure that Walter heard him, but the large man laid a heavy hand on his shoulder as they walked to the gate.

"The man we need to convince is Sabine. A proud old sod, but a good man and a good leader. He won't give his allegiance easily, especially to a prince. Perhaps it's best if I speak to him alone first. You know, maybe you ought to find some new clothes while I talk to Sabine. Something slightly less ... princely. We don't need this kind of attention. I only have a little bit of gold, but it should be enough." Walter placed a small blue bag of gold coins in Erick's hand. "And maybe you can spread what's left among the people. They need it more than we do."

"Were can I find clothes," Erick asked in earnest, and not just because his bat torn clothes smelled rank from the sewers.

"Oh, Don't worry. You'll find someone willing to take that money off you. Now, wish me good luck."

"Good luck Walter, you'll do great."

Walter gave a small wave as he walked through the gates, leaving Erick alone with the staving mob. When he turned around there was a group of people watching him intently. He wanted to give them the money, he really did, but there were so many he was afraid that if he gave it to them, he wouldn't have enough for clothes. He shamefully squeezed past them and headed back into town. He thought he saw a shop somewhere on the way in, but he got disoriented by the flocks of people and ended up taking a while to get there.

He found the shop and the owner stood outside rubbing his hands together. "Hello," the owner moaned, too miserable to say anything else.

"I'll take that set of clothes you have there," Erick said, placing thirty coins in his palm.

"Oh good," the man said in relief. "Good, thank you."

Erick was about to walk away, but something stopped him. Elise wouldn't have turned her back on someone in need. He let out a big sigh and turned around. "Here, have a little more."

"You have no idea how much of a difference this will make. Thank you. You have a kind heart."

_No, just a guilty conscience._

"Hello sir, this is Jasper." Erick twisted around, but saw no sign of his butler. "Er, hello? Is ... is this ... is this how you use..."

"Jasper?" Erick asked, slowly inspecting the area. The Dweller man gave him a weird look, but said nothing.

"I am speaking to you from the Guild Seal." Jasper said, a little louder than necessary. Erick retrieved the Guild Seal from his belt and held it in his hands but the sound wasn't coming from it. It was as if Jasper was speaking directly into his ear. "What an extraordinary device. It would seem that as long as you carry the seal, we can communicate freely."

"Maybe you can," Erick said quietly, returning the seal to his belt. "People are looking at me like I'm a madman or something."

"All part of the job sir." As Jasper continued, Erick handed out a gold coin to a woman wandering the street. "Also, you may return to the Sanctuary any time you deem it necessary. Might I suggest you do so now and try on your new outfit?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a sec," Erick replied, still shaking the hand of the woman he gave his coin to. The gratitude in her eyes was beyond measure. He was afraid that she was going to start worshiping him or something. He felt a genuine smile start to prick his lips. It felt good. It had been a while since he hadn't had to force his face to contort into a look resembling a smile.

He pulled away from the woman and walked off a little ways where no one could see him. He then reached down and activated the Guild Seal, returning to the Sanctuary.

"Ah, hello," Jasper greeted him. He was standing beside one of the doors which had been cleared of debris. "Now, included in the sanctuary is a dressing room. Step through and I'll show you."

Erick joined him across the room as Jasper slid open the wooden doors.

"I've taken the liberty of laying out your clothes on these mannequins, which should serve as convenient storage for any garments you acquire during your travels. Now why don't you change into your new dweller outfit."

Erick did as he was told and returned his former clothes to Jasper. "There you are, you look just like a Dweller. I hope this new outfit is as comfortable as your royal attire although I suspect the chances of that are quite low." He reached up and tucked the stubborn strand of hair back up into his cap.

"Well, it certainly smells better, that's for sure, but it's kind of itchy," Erick said, looking down to inspect his new clothes. They were mostly brown, but the sleeves, sash and head cover were a nice, bright red. They were quite warm, as expected. He was starting to get hot even in the Sanctuary. Erick tapped the Seal, returning him to the Dweller camp.

"Now that you are properly attired you should return to Sir Walter," Jasper instructed through the seal. "It is time to meet the Sabine we've heard so much about. A reliable way to gather a few followers is by simply interacting with people. Try it; I'm certain you'll make an impression."

"Whatever you say," Erick muttered under his breath. He didn't really like socializing with strangers, and didn't know what to say or do half the time. Even so, he made an effort to talk to the people he gave money to. He went about the town giving out his money until it was all gone. He hoped that Walter wouldn't mind him getting rid of _all_ his drinking money.

"Congratulations! Getting out among the people has paid off."

"Jasper, have you been watching me this whole time?"

"No, not exclusively. I've just been checking in on you once or twice ... or thrice, but who's counting?"

Erick chuckled lightly. "Thanks for keeping an eye on me, but I do need some time alone every now and again."

"Duly noted."

"Thanks Jasper." Erick headed back up to the gate where Walter stood waiting for him.

"That's it, the scruffy look suits you."

"So how did it go?" Erick asked, a satisfied smile pricking his lips.

"I've spoken to Sabine; explained everything and he's... Well, I told you he'd take some convincing."

"That bad huh?"

Walter humphed, but Erick could see a smile behind his beard. "Come on." He stood back politely as Erick approached the tent where a hulking man with a glass eye waited. Now he could see why Walter had a hard time convincing this guy, he looked like he wrestled bears in his free time. He'd never seen anyone so tall, he made Walter look like a dwarf! So that made Erick a pixie. Next to this guy, he certainly felt like one.

His dog ran up to Sabine, wagging his tail happily. From the look on his face, Erick couldn't help but worry that the Dweller leader might eat his dog.

"Out of the way Boulder, I can't see a thing."

The huge man with the glass eye stepped to the side to reveal a scrawny little old man sitting on a makeshift throne that seemed to be dressed like some sort of jester. Huge gold rings adorned his stark white beard and mustache.

Oh, so _this_ was Sabine.

"So royalty walks into our home. A prince, no less." The disproportional old man said in a dramatic voice as he got up from his chair. "You're a long mile from the castle. Prince," he said harshly, jewels clinking as he walked down the steps to stop uncomfortably close to Erick. Even on the bottom step, Sabine's hunched back made him almost a foot shorter. "What do you think of our home then? Do you like what your brother has done to us?"

Erick opened his mouth to speak, but Sabine wasn't finished. "These mountains have always been ours, now Logan's taken them, and he's stripping them of all life. Oh, we're ready to go to war, but why should we follow Logan's kin?"

"You can trust me, you have my word," Erick promised.

Sabine snorted indignantly. "We don't take much stock in words 'round these parts. We're simple folk. Ain't that right Boulder?"

Boulder, the hulking man Erick had mistaken for Sabine, grunted in confusion. It seemed like he didn't know how to talk, but he wasn't sure.

"Then what do you want?" Erick asked, getting a little frustrated.

Sabine curled a highly ornamented finger, beckoning him closer. Erick leaned close enough that he could count his long white nose hairs. Not that he particularly wanted to. "Proof," he said flatly, blasting Erick with his dry breath.

Erick involuntarily recoiled, but luckily Sabine didn't notice because he drew back as well.

"First: prove you're truly as Walter claims, a hero!"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"This is easily done. There's a secret chamber beneath the town of Brightwall, built by your own father."

He was distracted for moment as his dog was barking for attention from Boulder who happily complied but scratching behind its ears.

"Only heroes can survive it's trials and reach the relic within. Bring me one of these ancient objects and I will believe you. Second: prove you are warrior worthy of leading us into battle. You can do this by slaying the mercenaries who plague Mistpeak Valley and have long soured our existence. Third:"

Oh gosh, there was more?

"Prove you are a true leader. Persuade our neighbors in Brightwall to share what food they have with us. Boulder!"

"D'oh." Boulder stopped playing with Erick's dog and assumed his intimidating stance again.

Sabine leaned in close again. "If we cannot eat we will die, and the dead make poor allies."

"Is that all?" Erick asked abruptly, with some impudence.

Sabine leaned back for a moment as if in deep thought, his busy eyebrows twitching. "Yep! That's the lot. Off you go then. Good luck. Nice knowin' you," he dismissed him, clamping an oversized cigar between his teeth.

"Come on Sam," Erick called his dog, bringing it away from Boulder who gave them a tiny goodbye wave, much to the annoyance of Sabine.

"It's nice to see that Sabine hasn't mellowed with age," Walter commented as they left. "But anyway, I know the place he mentioned. Your father built the chamber under the Brightwall Academy; Albion's greatest seat of learning. At least it was, until Logan closed down. Just show the old librarian your Guild Seal, he'll know what it means."

"Alright will do," Eric said with confidence now that he felt he had one-upped Sabine.

"I'll try to find out more about these mercenaries. I'll see you in Brightwall when I have some information." They came to the gate leading out of the Dweller Camp and Walter opened it for him. "Hmm, it makes a nice change doing something useful," he said as he left.

"Good luck Walter. I'll see you in Brightwall," Erick said as he jogged across the bridge. He stopped as he came to a huge ledge overlooking the mountains and breathed into his hands to warm them up. When he leaned towards the edge, he could almost see into the valley. It sure was a long way down. He had the thought to go back to sanctuary and tapped the Guild Seal on his waist.

"This chamber beneath Brightwall sounds intriguing," Jasper said from his seat against the wall where he was stitching Erick's old clothes. "I'd heard rumors of course, but none other than heroes have lived to speak of it. You must take care once you're inside."

"Thanks Jasper, I will do my best. Have you finished mending my clothes yet?"

"They won't be ready to wear for a while, but I assure you they are plenty adequate for strangling a certain prince," he said in annoyance.

"What's this for?" Erick asked, ignoring Jasper's threat. He pointed next to Jasper at a cupboard built into the wall with a small pedestal in front of it.

"If someone has given you a gift I will keep it here until you wish unwrap it. I shan't peak, I promise."

"What's through this door?" Erick asked, pointing to the one door that was still shut.

"It's true that much of the Sanctuary is inaccessible at the moment... Hopefully I'll have it all shipshape shortly."

"Oh, okay. It looks kinda important. Did you see the sign above it? It looks kinda like–"

"Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly is your purpose of being here? Besides annoying me that is?"

"I just came to escape the cold for a bit. And believe it or not, annoying you was not my intention."

"Regardless, you have succeeded in doing so."

"Sorry, I guess I should head out now." Even so, Erick didn't leave. He leaned against the map table, watching Jasper for a long while.

Jasper sighed and removed his reading glasses, looking at him closely. "I don't mean to pry, but why are you really here?"

"I can't just stop in to check up on my butler?"

"No. You're stalling aren't you sir?"

"Alright fine! Yes, I'm stalling," Erick admitted with a dramatic lift of his arms.

"May I ask why? Your current task isn't that daunting is it?"

"No, I guess not."

"Then why do you feel the need to put it off?"

"Well," Erick sat cross legged on the floor in front of Jasper. "Walter left. And, I'm supposed to go down the mountain to Brightwall. Alone."

"Ah, so that's it," Jasper breathed. "You doubt the loyalty of Sir Walter and I."

"No, of course not Jasper. That's not at all what I was saying. What makes you think that?"

"If you truly understood the depths of our loyalty then you would know that we would never send you to do something that you weren't capable of accomplishing. This isn't just your journey my prince, its ours too."

"I guess that makes sense," Erick admitted.

"Good. Are you ready to go now?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." Erick stood up and gave a long stretch. "Um, so how long do you think it will take for you to finish-"

"Have a nice day, sir."

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**Thanks for reading! Please Review, even if it's just a few words, I really appreciate it. The next update may take a while, but it will come!**


	3. Chapter 3: Brightwall Village

**If you haven't noticed yet, I have been taking the total number of gold coins that the player usually accumulates and dividing it by ten. So, essentially each gold piece is worth ten dollars, or the equivalent in old England. I haven't really studied it. : P For example, usually in game when you give to beggars it takes 10 gold out of your account, but I've reduced it to just one coin. I have made gold worth more than Lionhead studios seemed to.**  
**Let me know if you'd like some more description of Brightwall. I was trying to just get the story going at this point but if you guys are interested I will gladly go back and describe the city some more.**

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It had taken quite a while to get down the mountain, mostly because of Erick's desire to wander off the beaten path, but also because of a few packs of wolves that he had stumbled across. By the time he had gotten to the hill outside Brightwall he had gathered up a small handful of gold coins, about ten pieces. Not a huge accomplishment, but it was nice to have a little bit of money in his pocket.

The walls of the city were not exactly what you'd call 'bright'. They were crumbling apart and a part above the wooden gate had fallen completely, leaving a huge gap. The purple flags of King Logan adorned the wide bridge leading to the city.

"I see you're approaching Brightwall, a most charming little hamlet," Jasper said through the Seal. "A perfect opportunity to acquaint yourself with the fine, honest people of this kingdom. Far from the bustle of the city and the factory smoke. Of course, a less charitable mind would term them simpletons."

_Good thing I kept my mouth shut..._

"But I encourage you to shop in their stores, drink in their taverns and otherwise partake in their small town pleasures."

"You _encourage_ me to drink, Jasper?"

"It was merely a figure of speech. Even though I wish that I could forbid you from doing so, you are old enough to make your own decisions. I suppose that you may partake of that certain aspect if that is what entices you."

"Don't worry, I have no intention of drinking."

"I'm glad you think so. It is quite a repulsive habit if I may say so."

"_You_ may say so, but I don't think Walter would agree."

Jasper grumbled something, and Erick was glad that you couldn't make it out.

When he entered the city the first thing he saw was the large statue in the middle of the town square, but it wasn't of King Logan. It was an older man; a scholar, with a book in one hand and a walking stick in the other. It was surrounded by green plants speckled with vibrant flowers. It gave him a sort of nostalgic feeling. He wasn't sure if it was because of that ambitious look in its eyes, its proud stance, or just because it reminded him of the one at the castle.

In fact, the whole city reminded him of the garden back at the castle, but it was more natural. The hedges were slightly over grown, and the trees a little shaggy, but it didn't look bad. At least it wasn't fake like the overly manicured plants back home.

Home. It suddenly struck him that he didn't have a home anymore. He didn't have a safe place to sleep, or a bed to lay in. He didn't even have a place to eat. He was so used to having everything right at hand. He always had a bed to lay in and he knew right when his meals would be. Everything was so uncertain now.

Erick hardened his heart as he looked away. That part of his life had ended, and he wasn't going back.

He did as Jasper said and greeted some of the townsfolk along with the two guards posted by the entrance. He even stopped by the pawnshop and sold some gems he dug up in Mistpeak. After that he went to the blacksmith to look at weapons. They were way too expensive of course, but at least he had something to aim for.

"Haven't seen you around," a light voice said behind him. He turned around to see a man standing in the doorway. He wore grungy, ash sprinkled clothes and had shaggy hair with a light beard. He was about Erick's height, but definitely stockier.

"I'm Steven, the town's blacksmith," the man said extending a calloused hand.

He took his hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you, I'm Erick. Uh, the prince."

Steven's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You're a long way from the castle, if you don't mind me saying." His voice sounded relaxed, but the rest of him looked suddenly on guard. His fingers curled nervously as he retracted his hand and he took a subtle step back.

"Yeah. Let's just say that recently the castle has become...uncomfortable."

"So, what's your business here in Brightwall?" Steven folded his arms against his chest and looked at him skeptically.

Erick paused as he thought about what he could say that wouldn't sound too preposterous. _I'm gathering followers to lead a revolution because Logan killed my girlfriend? Yeah, that's not going to work. I'm here because a gangly old man told me to fetch a trinket for him? Nah, that sounds stupid. This is the last place that I want to be, but I have a pushy butler and a stubborn mentor that forced me to come? _That didn't sound right either, although it was probably most accurate.

"I'm just passing through," Erick finally said, for lack of a better explanation.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I'm headed to the academy to talk with Samuel. I was sent to pick something up for a...friend." Yeah, he should have thought over that a little more before talking. He hoped that the blacksmith couldn't tell how nervous he was, but the look on his face suggested otherwise.

"Well, I hope you find what you're looking for." He stepped to the side to let Erick pass, but didn't take his eyes off him.

"Thanks."Erick quickly left and headed across the small bridge towards the academy. He glanced back to see that Steven was still watching him.

_Why is he looking at me like that? I haven't done anything._ Of course, Erick already knew the answer. It was because of Logan. Steven was afraid that he was like his brother. He probably shouldn't go announcing that he was the prince, he would have a hard enough time just getting people to talk to him.

He was starting to get hot in his Dweller clothes so he stopped by the sanctuary to change his clothes. Jasper made it clear that his old clothes were not yet finished, so Erick took his old boots and removed his gloves before heading to the academy. He decided to keep the head wrap, not wanting to attract any more attention with his abnormal hair.

He headed up the hill and under the arch towards the academy. There was a young woman sitting against the wall, her grungy hands outstretched. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes, but said nothing.

He instantly succumbed and bent down to hand her a single gold piece. "This is wonderful! Thank you!" she said loudly. A few other beggars looked over from their lonely spots against buildings and hedges.

"_Hey, this guy's handing out free gold!"_

"_Come on, just one piece?"_

"_You wouldn't let me starve would you?"_

The ragged, dirt splattered beggars converged on him like hungry wolves. They reached out to him with knobby fingers and sprayed him with their rancid breath.

"I'm sorry, I don't have much…"

"_Please, I've got a wife and kid. They'll die if I can't get them food."_

"_My wife's sick!"_

"_Mine got attacked by a rabid chicken!"_

Erick tried to squeeze through the crowd, handing out a few pieces of gold here and there, but a few people were still clinging to his clothes. He tossed three coins into the air and ran up the hill while they were distracted. He ran around a large fountain, almost running into a delivery man carrying a wooden crate.

"What's the rush?" the man barked angrily.

Erick ignored him as he peaked around the fountain.

"You're not runnin' from the law are ya?"

"No I'm not," Erick hissed.

"Like I'd believe that! How stupid do you think I am?"

"Definitely smarter than a chicken, but I think you'd lose to a duck," Erick muttered under his breath.

"I should turn you in!" the man continued, not hearing the previous comment. "He's over here!"

"Sh! Stop! They'll find me! Here, take this," Erick shoved a gold piece into his calloused hand.

"Oh, I've got you," the man said with a wink. "Never mind! False alarm! There's no one back here!"

Needless to say, that didn't help any. Soon the unhappy beggars were coming up the hill looking for the _all so generous_ stranger.

"Curses!" Erick ran from behind the fountain and into a large set of double doors. He slammed them closed behind him and backed away. He turned out his pocket, finding a single gold piece which he woefully twisted between his thin fingers.

"The library is closed by order of the king," a voice announced behind him. Erick whipped around to see an older man at a desk hunched over a well worn book.

_Oh. So this is the academy. Lucky for me._

Erick glanced at the neglected bookcases in the hallway as he approached the desk. Books lay scattered and uncared for over the dirty floor which was sprinkled with rejected pages.

"We don't serve drinks, we don't sell chicken feed. Please leave before the soldiers suspect you of gaining any real knowledge," he said bitterly without looking up from his book.

Erick cleared his throat loudly as he stood in front of him, startling the librarian. "Hi, you must be Samuel. I'm Erick."

"Sweet papyrus! A real visitor! Uh, I'm afraid I was speaking the truth, King Logan has closed the academy. I'm little more than a custodian these days."

"I think this might interest you," Erick said, sliding the Guild Seal onto the counter.

"By the holy bookmark! The Guild Seal!" _Holy bookmark?_ This guy really had been in the library for a long time. "I haven't seen it since the Old Hero King last came here. Then you are..."

"...the prince, yes," Erick finished cautiously.

"Oh my. Uh, please, come this way." Samuel directed him to the open doors behind the desk and down a long staircase. "Your father told me that one day a challenger bearing the Seal would come seeking entrance to the Reliquary, I never imagined it would happen in my lifetime."

Erick's eyes wandered the room as Samuel went on talking about how his father founded the academy or something, but he wasn't really interested.

"Here we are," Samuel announced as they came to a huge steel door. "I can't tell you how many of our researchers and professors have studied this door in hopes of unlocking its mechanism, but I knew there was only one thing that would ever open it."

"Well, let's try it out." Erick placed the Seal in the circular latch, but quickly withdrew his hand as red sparks erupted from it. The gears adorning the door began turning, puling away the metal bars that held it closed. Erick then removed the Seal and pushed against the door which swung open easily.

"Now that was easy," Erick said with a smile. "I guess you're staying here then?"

"Uh, yes. I think I shall."

"Alright then, I'll let you know if I find anything."

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**Sorry! It's a really short chapter, but it was either that or a really freaking long one. This seemed like a good stopping place, and I'm probably going to go back and add more detail. I don't have an editor, so I just go through and edit it myself but I'm not very good. When I get the whole story on paper (or in this case _online_) then I will get someone to edit it and update all the chapters so you guys won't have to deal with my awful grammar. : )**

**I'd also like to give special thanks to those that have reviewed my previous chapters. It really helps and I appreciate the support. Feel free to message me with any questions or suggestions. I'd love to hear from you.. : ) Thanks to all of you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: Books and Bones

**Okay, long author's note this time. **

**First off, I'd just like to say that I'm incredibly sorry for how long this chapter took to upload. I know that I said it was going to be a really fast update but I hit a few– okay a _lot_ of snags. A had this chapter all finished and ready when I posted the previous one and it was supposed to be up the next day, but I read over it and it just sounded awful! And no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get the words on the page. So yeah, extreme writers block on this one. **

**In fact, it was so bad that I sent it off to one of my friends to edit for me and she agreed that it sucked. So I got back the edited copy but there was so much stuff that I had to fix that I ended up just rewriting the whole thing. Even after all that, I'm still not satisfied with it. I've worked really hard on this chapter, but it just never worked out the way I wanted to.**

** So I'm sorry that this took so long, and I'm really sorry that it sounds like crap. I really hope that the next one comes out better and I can get it up soon, but no promises. **

**Okay, now to answer some questions:**

**1. I've had a lot of people asking me if I am planning on sticking with the Lionhead storyline or if I'm going to rewrite parts of the story. ****My main purpose was to basically retell the story with my character so it would follow very closely with the Fable story****, but recently I've come up with some things to add in.  
**

**I've decided that I'm going to be daring and try to give it a few plot changes. The major points of the story will stay the same, but I'm also going to add some major things of my own. :) If you follow my Tumblr blog, then I occasionally give out a few, "little secrets." So if you want to be ahead of the game, feel free to follow me. **

**Btw, this story is in progress, so it is open to suggestion. If you have something I can do to improve it, please feel free to tell me. I would really like to know what you guys think of an original plot versus a Canon one. So let me know!**

**2. So this one is a little more difficult, (if the first one wasn't enough already. :P) It goes along with the first, but I'm going to tread lightly to avoid giving away too much story material. **

**Alright, here goes. I've had a few questions regarding Elise. Yes, you guys wanted to know if I was planning on bringing her back or not. Usually when a character dies, or is supposedly killed, I like them to stay that way just because I strongly dislike fake death because it just gets confusing and annoying. But in this case I might just make an exception. Sort of...**

**Elise is a really intriguing character, and I think that it's a shame she died at the very beginning. I'm still mulling this over, but I think it's safe to say that Elise will come back, but it may not be in the way you think. :] Even if I decide to let her stay dead, I assure you that she will be alluded to in one way or another. You will certainly hear more about her since she is a major driving force in Erick leading a revolution against Logan.**

**Okay, I'm done. Sorry for my babbling, but I hope I answered some of your questions in greater detail. If not, you can message me and I will be happy to clear things up for you. **

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Erick cautiously walked down the enormous staircase, the domed ceiling high above him, held up by thick columns. The walls inside the academy were wood, but down here there was nothing but rough grey stone.

A few steel lanterns hung from the ceiling on thick chains, partially lighting the large room. Collapsing bookcases lined the walls, their contents dumped onto the floor. It was a shame that the academy didn't have enough funding to fix up the place. There were a lot of books left to rot.

He had time to spare, so he scanned through the books on the shelves, occasionally finding some gold between them which he slipped in his pocket.

Erick always enjoyed reading. Back at the castle he would slip into the library every chance he got. Most of the books were about politics or history; not adequate reading material to keep a young boy entertained for very long. Even so, he enjoyed grabbing random volumes and inspecting their contents quickly before moving on to the next. He spent hours skimming through the countless books until Logan kicked him out for being too noisy.

Down one of the three allies there was a small podium with a book called _How to be a Master Swordsman, _by Captain Arkwright. The very beginning read;

_When you find yourself in a sword fight, just be sure to gut the other fellow first. Easy, what._

It was humorous, but not very useful. He took it anyway. It was probably important, so he decided to return it to Samuel. On the other side was a large chest with an intricate keyhole. He'd have to keep an eye out for the key then come back to open it.

Erick's fingers brushed over the dusty bindings as he cocked his head to read the titles. He paused over a series by a monk named Silvestre Magus. He picked up the first one, opening it to a place somewhere in the middle. At first it seemed like the babels of a mad man, but when he read further the horrific nightmares sounded more like prophecies. As he flicked to random pages, the words reminded him of the legends that Walter used to tell him about the Heroes Guild and even his own father. When he kept that it mind, it sounded more like a disorganized history book.

He returned the book and went to grab the last one in the series. A fierce chill ran down his spine as his finger glazed over the title; _Darkness Descends On Albion._ If the books were chronological, than whatever was in that book hadn't happened yet. It was his future.

Erick ripped his hand away and stepped back. He hated prophecies. Whatever was in that book, he didn't care. He wanted to control his own future, he didn't believe in a predetermined fate. Whatever it was, he would deal with it his own way.

He stubbornly left the books behind as he went down the staircase at the other end of the room.

This part of the reliquary looked more like a tomb than a library. The gigantic room was filled with a thick fog preventing him from seeing the other side. He peered over the balcony where the railing had fallen away, but couldn't see the bottom. A tower stood in the center surrounded by many levels of walkways descending into the fog, but there didn't seem to be any access to it.

He went down the staircase along the wall, passing thick spiderwebs and patches of white candles. He didn't get very far before his path ended. A huge column had collapsed, destroying the stairs to the next level down. A large door was to the right, but it had no visible doorknob and he couldn't find a way to open it. To his left the railing opened and it looked like there used to be a bridge there, but instead there was a floating blue orb.

He tried grabbing it, but it wouldn't budge. he even tried kicking it but nothing happened.

"Ah hello, Jasper here again," the familiar voice echoed through the Seal. "I believe that amazing device is what is known as a flit switch."

Okay, it had a name now, but he still didn't know what to do with it.

"However, on the subject of amazing things you will not believe what I have just found in the Sanctuary. You should come back as soon as you possibly can."

Not that he had anything better to do. He tapped the Guild Seal and he was instantly transported to the mystical sanctuary.

"This sanctuary contains an armory. In which there are some truly remarkable weapons; heroic weapons which your father left for you. This way please." Jasper led him through the last door on the left which until now had been the only one still closed.

The armory looked just like the other rooms; shaped as a keyhole with thick green carpet and a large chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling. The candles on the wall were lit, lighting the cobwebs still clinging to the walls. Four decorative suits of armor bordered the room and when he entered further he saw two statues in small alcoves. One held a simple sword, the other a large hammer.

"Now admittedly these weapons don't appear particularly impressive yet, however, according to the book, they actually change as you use them; becoming more deadly and developing fantastic properties. They are living weapons and the way in which you fight with them determines how they evolve."

_And that's not creepy at all..._ Erick wasn't too keen on using a weapon that was alive. Even so, he picked up the sword.

"That sword should serve you well for as long as you carry it and depending on whom you kill and how, it will grow ever more powerful. Well, now that you are properly armed, you should be much better prepared for whatever awaits you beneath Brightwall Academy."

"Why, is there something dangerous down there?" Erick asked, suddenly on guard.

"Well yes, I would expect there to be. Why else do you think that Sabine would send you down there?"

"So I was right, that old fool really does hate me."

Jasper gave a light chuckle and smiled warmly, making thin wrinkles appear around his eyes. "I wouldn't say he hates you, he just wants to make sure that you are the right person to lead Albion."

"Well, if I die down there I'm blaming him."

"I have complete faith that you will emerge unscathed. Well, not seriously harmed, at least not lethally. Just, be careful down there."

"Yeah, no problem," Erick muttered distastefully, returning to the reliquary.

"Ah yes, the flit switch. Now, the way you activate these is by hitting them. Your new weapon should serve that purpose ably."

"Sounds good, thanks Jasper." He smacked the flit switch with his new sword and it launched across the chasm, settling in a small hole. Immediately after, a stone bridge extended across, offering him safe passage to the tower.

After crossing the bridge, he was fascinated by the cluster of blue lights that floated near the ceiling on the other side.

They were Wisps, if he remembered correctly. He'd never seen them before, but Walter had told him plenty about them. Wisps were souls of those that died, but something kept them from leaving. He didn't really believe in an afterlife and he wasn't sure if they really were Wisps, but they sure were pretty to look at.

One of the circular lights broke off from the rest and disappeared beneath the ground. It promptly emerged, bringing with it a fully armed skeleton. The light sunk into its ribcage, and its empty eye sockets began glowing bright green.

_Okay, not so pretty after all._

Erick had forgotten the other part of Walter's stories; the vengeful, kill-everything-in-sight, part. According to Walter, one of the reasons that Wisps stayed behind, was because they had something to protect. Something that they would kill for. These pretty little lights would reanimate the dead and use their rotted bones as marionettes. The skeletons that the Wisps inhabited were then called Hollow Men, an accurate title.

The creature watched him with glowing green eyes, its exposed jaw clacking loudly.

Erick tensed as the Hollow Man charged towards him, a sickle in one hand and a bent pitchfork in the other. In his panic, he instinctively shot a ball of fire into its chest, charring its bones and making it crumble to the ground with a ghastly cry. More Wisps quickly followed; submerging in the ground and returning with more Hollow Men.

He drew his sword and began hacking away at the supernatural creatures but they quickly surrounded him. When training with Walter it was always one on one, he wasn't ready for this. It took all he had to keep them back. One got him from behind, slicing open his shoulder and breaking his guard. As he faltered, another hacked down at his exposed chest. Pain flared through his body and he was forced to retreat for a moment.

"Come on then," he hissed between his teeth, charging his gauntlet. The Hollow Men stumbled forward, and when they were in range he slammed his hand to the ground and flames rose up from the ground to engulf them. Luckily, those were the last ones. The blue lights were gone, leaving him crouched on the floor in pain.

He was shaking like an autumn leaf, whether from exhaustion or fear he couldn't tell. He had never been so terrified in his life. Never been so close to death. This was real. Those things wanted to kill him. He couldn't do this. He couldn't survive another fight with those awful creatures. He didn't want to keep going. He wanted to turn back around while he still could and leave the artifact.

Sam whimpered, and came forward to lick his wounds. It stung badly, but he tolerated it. Slowly, the pain vanished, as if it was never there. He carefully touched his shoulder, but the wound was gone. He opened his thick coat to see where the Hollow Man cut him. Not even a scar remained. He was completely healed. That must be part of being a hero. Kind of scary he had to admit, but very cool.

He pet his dog as it licked away the rest of the blood. There was a deep rumble, and another bridge extended leading to the other side. He turned around to look back at the way he came.

It wasn't too late. He could still go back. But then what would he tell Jasper? What would Walter think of him? How could he ever hope to stop Logan if he couldn't even fetch a stupid artifact? Sabine was counting on him. So was Brightwall. Heck, all of Albion was counting on him. Now was not the time to be selfish. This was his kingdom, and it needed a Hero. Someone had to do it, so it might as well be him.

He just hoped that he wouldn't end up as another Wisp eternally guarding this cursed tomb.

Erick got to his feet and headed deeper into the reliquary. "Come on Sam."

The walkway continued on the other side, but was broken off on either end so the only way to continue was through a crumbling doorway. The stone floor was replaced by hard packed dirt. Pieces of the walls and floor were crushed and moved to either side, leaving a small pathway in between. He continued through and ended up on a slab of un-carved stone overlooking a giant pit. He was now in a sort of large cavern, whether natural or manmade he was unsure.

He thought that Reliquary ended there, but when he peered though the mist he could see a building built into the wall of the cavern. A raised platform stuck out of the fog but was too far away for him to reach it.

Another one of those flit switches flew off of the ledge and hovered above the pit. This one was red, and there was no way he could get close enough to hit it with his sword. Instead, he launched a fireball at it. He stepped back as the ground rumbled and a large staircase rose up to meet him. He cautiously walked up the steps, afraid that it might fall back down. When he got to the top there was a glowing blue arrow and when he stepped on it another platform rose.

He looked over the cavern as Sam joined him on the platform. Tiny groups of Wisps were hovering in the expanse. He didn't feel like tangling with Hollow Men on such perilous terrain, so he did his best to arrange the platforms so he would avoid them.

He continued this little puzzle across the gap sometimes finding little things such as potions and gloves in-between the cracks. A staircase on the other side deposited him on the lower level of the crumbled tower. Most of it was blocked off by stone, so the would have to jump down on to the lower level, but it was pretty far down.

"Guess it's time to see if this healing thing can fix broken bones." Erick took a deep breath, and leapt off. The ground sprung up to meet him much quicker than he would have liked, but he landed solidly on his feet. He fell forward and had to support his weight on one hand, but luckily no shattered bones.

He looked back up to see that his dog remained crouched on the edge.

"Come on Sam," he coaxed his dog, patting his thighs and whistling. Sam whimpered and spun in a circle, approaching the edge then retreating again. "It's alright, I'll catch you. Come on."

Sam finally got up the courage and leapt off, landing solidly in Erick's arms.

"Oof! You're not the small puppy you once were," he chuckled, setting the Border Colie back on solid ground.

He had gone only a few yards when he came to a narrow bridge. The problem was that it was broken halfway across. The other side had to be at least fifty feet away. The rock walls were too steep to climb and no flit switch came to save him this time. The only way to go was down.

When he peered over the edge, there wasn't a nice solid floor to greet him. Just a small underground pool. He couldn't see how deep it was, just that it was a _really_ long way down.

He never really liked water, and this certainly wasn't helping any.

"You up for some swimming?" he asked Sam. The dog barked, and leapt off the edge into the water below.

Well, there was no way he would let a dog show him up.

Erick waited for Sam to emerge before leaping off. He landed in the frigid water with a large splash, regardless of how hard he tried to do a perfect dive, and quickly fought his way to the surface, his wool clothes dragging him back down. He worked to keep his head above the surface as he quickly swam across to the staircase. He flopped onto the raw stone and heaved his body out of the water.

Sam followed and shook vigorously, giving Erick an unwanted shower. He scratched behind the dog's ears as he sat down. He slipped off his sodden shirt and gazed into the water as he caught his breath.

He returned to the sanctuary briefly and tossed the wet wool shirt to Jasper. "Hold on to this for me."

Jasper fumbled to grab it, then held it out at arms length in disgust. "What? Sir I–"

Erick left the sanctuary before Jasper could finish. He noticed that he was still wearing the head wrap, so he took it off and went back to the sanctuary. Jasper stood in the same spot, the thick coat leaking water all over his clothes and onto the newly swept floor. To say he looked displeased would have been like saying torture is just a tad uncomfortable. Erick cautiously extended the dripping cap with an apologetic smile. After a few moments Jasper methodically accepted it, still silent.

Erick backed away and gave a quick, "thanks Jasper," before disappearing again.

He went up the stairs and at the top there was an archway with a large disk instead of a door. The stone surrounding it looked lighter, like it was recently built. There was a metal platform in the shape of the Guild Seal, also added after the original construction. It was like the one back in the catacombs, so he figured that it worked the same way.

He drew his hand upwards, creating a small burst of flame at his feet. Still, the disk didn't move. As he started to charge his gauntlet to try again, five spheres on the disk began to glow light blue. He launched a ball of fire at the large sphere in the center, and the disk rolled to the side.

This part of the Reliquary was relatively intact. A few piles of broken columns and chunks of walls were pushed to the side, but other then that it was in pretty good shape.

He was just looking up at the arched ceiling when a group of Hollow Men suddenly sprung up out of the ground underneath his feet. He quickly rolled out of the way and sliced an arm off the nearest one. He twisted on the balls of his feet and thrust his blade into the next one. They didn't really block, so the only trick was to avoid their attacks and strike in between. It was getting easier each time. He even found himself smiling as he sliced into another's ribcage.

He had barely finished off that batch when another group sprung up. The Wisps were getting smarter now. They hid in the ground and waited to ambush him. Even so, the Hollow Man couldn't touch him. He would fiercely attack one then suddenly whip around and strike another. By the time he sheathed his sword, shattered bones where littered across the ground.

He went up a few stairs and noticed a skeleton laying still on the floor. He glanced around for those blue wisps, then nudged the bones with his sword. When the remains didn't magically spring to life, he crouched down to inspect it closer.

Some poor old sod must have gotten trapped. He was in front of a barred door, he probably thought it was an exit. He was about to leave when he saw a paper sitting beside the skeleton and picked it up. It read:

_So, this is how it ends. I steal the blueprints for the dungeon from the architect that built it, find the secret entrance on the other side of Mistpeak, almost get killed by several Hollow Men, stub my toe against a rock so it hurts really bad when I walk, and now this. I know there's a great treasure in here somewhere, and I know it has something to do with these braziers, i just don't know what. But I'm not leaving until I solve this riddle._

A great treasure huh? Maybe that was what he was looking for. He riffled through the other research papers on the floor, but didn't find anything worthwhile. He inspected the closest brazier which was the only one still lit. He couldn't see anything special about it, there wasn't any writing and it didn't move at all. Well, he couldn't find any evidence of some difficult riddle, so he figured he might as well light all of them.

The moment that he ignited the last one, the iron door lifted.

Was that really all there was to the riddle? The braziers probably had to be lit with magic, so that was why the researcher never got in.

Behind the iron door he found a complex silver key on the floor. It looked like it belonged to the chest he found earlier. He leapt off a ledge and found that the tunnel looped back around to the door he came through earlier. There was no sign of any great treasure or something that he could return to Sabine to prove his worth as a Hero. He did find a cool healing potion though. Hopefully he wouldn't have to use it.

He circled around a large column and found a path dug through the wall of the cave. It exited out onto a narrow walkway at the edge of a steep cliff. He just started up a steep incline when a single Hollow man climbed out of the ground in front of him.

Erick charged his gauntlet and slammed his hand against its chest, burning it from the inside out. He stepped over the blackened bones and continued up the hill. A large colony of Wisps hovered right in the middle of the path.

They already knew that he was there, so there was no point in trying to avoid them. He sheathed his sword and ran through them, not the best idea he'd ever had.

Wisps showered down all around him and Hollow Men blocked his escape from either side. These ones were wearing metal breastplates, so his magic didn't do much good. He unsheathed his sword and knocked back the closest one, but another hacked at him with a long scythe. He tried to roll out of the way, but ran into two others.

If he focused on attacking one of them, two others would strike him. Every one that he killed was quickly replaced by another Wisp. He kicked one over the edge of the cliff only to get a chunk of flesh taken out of his back. He he did his best to ignore the pain as he kept attacking. Just as the crowd was thinning out, one hooked his shoulder from behind and ripped him back towards the cliff.

Erick latched onto the edge right before tumbling off, but his shoulder instantly gave way, leaving him dangling by one hand.

The Hollow Men all began converging on him, their jaws clacking in delight. The added weight made the ledge begin to crack. Erick, being the quick thinking young man that he was, kicked the supporting column with all his strength. The Hollow Men stumbled as the ledge shook, but kept coming.

Erick's hand shook as he charged his gauntlet, blood dripping onto his white glove. Just as the first Hollow Man raised its sword, he launched a blast underneath at the support. It crumbled and fell, taking a large chunk of the ledge and a few Hollow Men with it.

Erick scrambled up as the rest of the walkway began to fall. The Hollow Men grabbed for him as he leapt across the gap, their gnarly fingers brushing his skin. Erick had to leap to his feet and run for the other side as his part started to fall as well. He made it inside the cave safely where Sam was waiting. He leaned against the wall and waited as his wounds healed on their own.

"That was too close," he said softly, petting Sam's black and white fur.

He was going to continue deeper into the caves, but Sam lead him down another corridor where he found a small bag with five gold coins. He was going to turn back, but there was a small trail along the rock wall that he decided to go up. There was a large balcony over hanging the place with the rising platforms. At the center was a lever, but he couldn't see what it opened.

"What do you think Sam?" Sam sniffed the lever, then scratched the base with one paw. "Alright, let's see what this does." He pulled the rusted lever, but nothing happened. He gave it a quick kick, and a bunch of blue Wisps came zipping in from the ceiling, bringing more Hollow Men.

In a few moments, he was surrounded. "Oh come on!" he shouted in exasperation. One of the Hollow Men shot at him with a rifle, clipping his shoulder. "Alright fine! I'm sorry I touched your lever! Here, I'll put it back." Before he could grab it again, a heavily armored one swung at his face. He returned the favor by chopping of its head. And killing the rest of its hollow buddies. It wasn't as easy as it used to be. These ones were heavily armored and had gruesome weapons. Still, he felt a bit of satisfaction when the disembodied skeletons collapsed.

"Well, that was an adventure wasn't it Sam?" Sam growled harshly, and faced Erick with barred teeth. "Samantha? What's wrong girl?" He slowly moved forward to pet her, but a bony arm suddenly wrapped around his throat. The hollow man ripped the sword from his hand and twisted it around towards Erick's chest.

Erick grabbed hold of the guard while still trying to remove the arm from around his neck. It was amazing how something could be so strong without any muscle. Sam leapt forward and clamped the Hollow Man's leg in her teeth and shook it vigorously. Erick released his hold on its arm so he could keep the sword from impaling his chest. Sam ripped the bone off, and the Hollow Man fell off the edge, bringing Erick down with it.

He landed hard on his back, smashing the Hollow Man underneath him. Luckily he landed one the platforms, and didn't tumble over the edge. There was a deep rumble and he craned his neck to see a staircase rise on the other side. "Oh, so that's what that level did." He rolled over and got to his knees as Sam leapt down to meet him. "Thanks girl. I don't know what I'd do without you." He scratched her behind the ears and retrieved his sword before getting up and heading towards the stairs.

The head of the Hollow Man began snapping at him as he passed. "Oh shut up," he said, nudging the head so it rolled off into the chasm. The staircase lead to a open room with a sarcophagus in the center. He saw something laying beside it and began sneaking towards it. His fingers danced over the object, then he quickly snatched it up. Still, nothing happened.

He opened his hand to look at what he picked up. It was a silver key. It looked just like the one he found earlier. Why would there be a copy of the same key? There was a scuttling sound, probably just a mouse, but it was enough to send Erick leaping over the edge. He landed back on the trail and quickly headed back to the main corridor.

All that trouble for a lousy key that he didn't even need. That would be that last time he took a detour. The problem was that the floor quickly ended. However built the place must have been one strange architect. A yellow flit switch hovered over the gap, just out of arms reach. He leaned as far over the edge as he dared, but still couldn't reach it with his sword. He even tried launching fire at it, but that didn't do any good either.

"Uh, Jasper? A little help here?"

"Ah, hello...yes," his butler answered after a few moments. "You'll recall that I mentioned that flit switches require a knock from a melee weapon."

"Yes, but I can't exactly reach this one."

"Well, it seems that was only partially correct."

"Jasper! Then what do I do?"

"According to the book, only blue switches require melee weapons. The red variety requires magic, and to activate yellow switches you must shoot it with a firearm."

"That doesn't help. I don't have a gun..." Would he have to go back up to the surface and buy one? He really wasn't looking forward to climbing back up all the holes he had jumped down to get there.

"Fortunately, that section of the book also indicated where some firearms were located. And these weapons...well, they must be seen to be believed. Please return to the Sanctuary as soon as you can."

Erick had tapped the Seal before Jasper finished the sentence.

"Ah! The weapons in question were also left for you by your father. They are in the armory."

Erick followed him into the armory and looked at the guns. Not exactly something he would trust his life with.

"What's so special about them?" he asked.

"Like the sword and hammer, these astonishing weapons evolve over time as you use them, becoming even more fearsome. They can cause more damage and achieve other incredible effects."

Erick looked at the two guns in turn, both made from study wood and dull grey metal with wraps on the handle. Walter didn't teach him how to shoot, but his father showed him a few things before he died. He remembered how to reload, but other than that he was clueless. He finally decided on the pistol.

"The pistol, excellent choice. You are in an enclosed space at the moment, after all. I'll keep the rifle here in case you change your mind. In the meantime, experiment and see what incredible properties are waiting to be unlocked!"

"Thanks, see ya." Erick gave a quick goodbye wave and went back to the Cullis Gate. He gave a sly smirk as he raised the gun at the flit switch. "You can't outsmart me you annoying little orb." He pulled the trigger, only to get his glove caught in the hammer. He reflexively opened his hand and the pistol tumbled over the edge before he had a chance to grab it.

_Drop a priceless object from long lost dad into a bottomless pit? Check._

Erick shamefully tapped the Guild Seal and returned to the main room of the sanctuary. Jasper was already standing in front of the Cullis Gate, the rifle resting in his extended hands.

"You saw?" Erick asked.

"Yes sir. These weapons are very special, please try not to lose this one."

Erick slowly nodded and took the rifle. He went back to the Reliquary and shot the flit switch, this time being very careful to keep his fingers away from the firing mechanism.

A bridge quickly extended, bringing with it a small group of Hollow Men. Guess it was time to put his new weapon to the test. It took just one bullet for each Hollow Man, but one got too close when he had to reload, so he just killed it the old fashioned way.

He continued up the walkways that connected the small towers, running into small groups of Hollow Men at a time but nothing that he couldn't handle easily. He quickly got used to using the rifle and switched between it and the sword frequently.

Shortly after that, he was attacked again. The amount of Hollow Men kept growing, and it was taking longer each time to finish them off.

He got to the last tower where two Hollow Men in thick silver armor waited. One had a huge hammer and the other a glorified meat cleaver. And if that wasn't enough, they had a small army assembled behind them.

Erick ignored the small ones and went straight for Mr. Hammer. He slashed at its chest, but it only stumbled back and counterattacked with a brutal hit to Erick's hip. The force of the blow sent him flying back, smashing into a couple of Hollow Men. He landed right at the feet of the little misses with her kitchen knife ready to turn him into the main course. He rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the butcher knife.

Erick sliced off its leg, and when it feel forward he chopped down at its neck. Mr. Hammer, a little upset at its wife getting beheaded, charged towards him with an unearthly roar. Erick limped backwards until he was up against the railing. He waited until Mr. Hammer was only a few feet away, then dived between its legs then spun around and hacked at its kneecaps, sending it tumbling over the edge.

Now he only had the little kiddies to deal with. He quickly put them to bed with a little tough love and continued on, a job well done.

Erick massaged his wounded leg, the pain slowly fading away. It was still fairly sore as he went up yet another walkway and entered a large room. It was completely enclosed except for a large skylight in the ceiling. He expected to get attacked again but he got to platform in the center without any interruptions.

There was a large steel music box on top of a pedestal which was playing a soft lullaby. A stream of white light emanated from the top. This had to be what Sabine was talking about. It had better be, there was no other place to look.

He cautiously picked it up, the light still bursting from the top. there was a brief flash of light, and the familiar pulsating symbol appeared behind the pedestal.

"No!" Erick said harshly, jabbing a finger at the portal. "I am not going back there! I'll find another way out!"

Still, the portal waited for him. Erick started walking towards it, but chickened out and went back to the other side of the pedestal. He paced back and forth, glaring at the portal the whole time.

"I really _really_ don't want to go back there," Erick muttered to himself. He had a mini staring competition with the immobile portal before tucking the music box under his arm. "Fine. Not like I have another choice."

Erick took a deep breath and stepped into the portal. The world faded away and the air was violently sucked out of his lungs. The dusty room vanished and in a few moments later he was back in Theresa's realm. Yippee.

"Congratulations hero," Theresa said, standing in front of the closed gate. "Touching the Guild Seal was an indication of what you could become, reaching the music box has proven what you already are."

"It wasn't all that hard actually. The worst part was that I–"

"No one but a Hero could have done it," Theresa interrupted.

"No one but a Hero. Got it. Why, exactly is that? There was an explorer that made it pretty far."

Theresa ignored him as she continued. "You have begun to learn what powers you posses, and there is still greater potential within you. But you have only taken the first step in your journey. Albion is crying out for a revolution and for someone to lead it. Winning supporters to your cause will be hard. Leading them against Logan will be an even greater challenge, but it's one you must accomplish."

"I'll make him pay for what he did," Erick said between clenched teeth, his nails digging into the sides of the music box.

"This is not a matter of personal vengeance," Theresa said reproachfully. "As long as your brother sits on the throne, Albion is in great danger."

"I don't understand. Sure, there's a few protestors, but peasants always are complaining about something. Logan's not that bad is he? I don't think I can do any better at least. I'm no king."

Erick never really wanted the crown, mostly because his brother already had it, but also because he wouldn't know what to do with it. He had never been much of a leader and spent most of his life walking in shadows. He didn't stand out much, and it was likely that more than half of Albion wasn't even aware that he existed. His name had been forgotten behind the admiration for his father and the hatred for Logan.

Theresa gave an understanding nod. "Open the music box. It will show you the truth."

Erick raised the music box, holding it in both hands. There was a large key in one side, and when he twisted it the top sprung open.

Black smoke spewed from it and surrounded him. It began to take shape and the next moment Erick saw an image of the map room back at the castle. Everything in the room was silent and still. The ghastly moonlight wedged its way through the thick clouds, its cold fingers resting over the table.

The world froze as King Logan emerged form the shadows.

The king approached the molded table, his silver armor reflecting the light of the candles. A slender sword brushed restlessly against his hip and the tassels on his sleeve waved mournfully as he moved forward with a ghostlike grace.

"This is my Albion," he stated in a hushed tone, his eyes glazing over the map. The very air seemed to withdraw from his touch, but the darkness drew closer to listen.

"Its cities will bow to my law, or they will burn. Its mountains will bend to my will, or they will fall. This is my Albion," he repeated softly, brushing his gloved hand over the edge of the map. "Its people will do as I say, or they will die. It's future will be as I decree, or it will end. I've seen what must be done, and nothing will stand in my way. We will be greater, and we will be stronger, no matter what sacrifices we must make. This is my Albion, and I will see it destroyed before I surrender it."

Erick got a clear view of the silent determination in Logan's black eyes before the scene faded away.

"He really doesn't care. He wants them all to die," Erick whispered as the tendrils of smoke disappeared into the white expanse. He turned to Theresa in his anger. "How can he do that to all those innocent people? How can I even be related to such a heartless tyrant?" Erick threw his hands up in in exasperation, dropping the music box. Theresa looked slightly upset, but he didn't care.

"If any part of you still doubted the necessity of a revolution, you have your answer."

"Yeah. I do."

"The kingdom will face its own annihilation under your brother's rule. Now, do whatever you must to gain your first ally, for you can't lead a revolution without followers. Sabine is a good man, and his people are strong."

"Sabine won't be enough to stop Logan. I don't think anyone can."

"You can," Theresa assured him before vanishing into the mist.

_No, I can't._

* * *

**I'm going to try to get this story going a little quicker, but my summer's getting pretty busy. If I suddenly stop updating, then either I'm really busy, or I'm dead. Because there is no way I'm going to abandon this story. :D **

**I just want to warn you that this will be a very long sto****ry. I have made qu****ite a few promises, but they will take a while to take effect. Obviously this is not a quick read. I intended for it to read like a novel, so it may be a little slow going at times, but I will try my best to keep it interesting. **

**Be sure to let me know what you guys think or what you would like to see more of in the story. I seriously love hearing from you guys!**

**Ah, almost forgot. If you guys are interested, I do have a Facebook page where I upload the pictures I draw for this story and some silly little comics. And I will also post a link to my new chapters so if you want to get notified when I post a new one be sure to 'like' my page. If you do, I'll love you forever. 3**

**My username for almost everything is Wildfire707. So if you search Facebook, my page should come up. Just look for the page with a bunch of random drawings. XD**

**Thank you all so much for reading and a special thanks goes out to all those who reviewed. I really appreciate your encouragement, and hope I can meet your expectations. **

**Thanks again, and see ya'll soon!**

**~Wildfire**


	5. Chapter 5: Dirty Work

Samuel gathered up a small stack of cards off the worn counter and shuffled them between his fingers. His mind wandered as his eyes slowly glazed over the words. A brief, unearthly noise sounded like the screech of an eagle. He stumbled back in fright as a figure materialized before him in a burst of iridescent blue light, his papers flying into the air. It was the Prince!

"Blessed index cards, you made it!" Samuel exclaimed.

"Hi," Erick said simply with a tiny wave. Samuel glanced over him, his eyes brushing past his bare chest and lingering on his messy blue hair. Great, he forgot that he had taken off his shirt down in the Reliquary. The librarian probably thought he was a total loon.

He was surprised when Samuel gave a huge smile and threw his hands up in the air. "This is cause for great rejoicing; Albion has a hero again! If ever I can be of assistance, I would be honored to serve you."

"Thanks, I need all the help I can get. Oh, I almost forgot. Here." Erick took the book from the reliquary out of his bag and put it on the desk. "Uh, sorry, it got a little blood on it. And it's a kinda wet. Sorry." Erick turned away and headed for the exit, giving himself a mental reminder to give all important items to Jasper before fighting hordes of the undead.

"I knew you would succeed sir." Erick turned back to Samuel, but he was inspecting the soddened book and took no notice of him.

_Oh right, the Guild Seal. _

"You now have proof positive of your heroic status, and I believe Walter has made some progress with the mercenary problem," Jasper continued. "He is waiting for you outside the local tavern."

Erick peeked outside the academy doors, but quickly ducked back inside. He went to the sanctuary to look for some better clothes.

Jasper was sitting on a stool against the wall, skimming through the book Erick's father had left for him. "How curious that Sir Walter should have chosen a tavern as your rendezvous point. I do hope he is finding someway to occupy his time while he waits for you."

"Mm hm," Erick hummed distractedly, going to his wardrobe.

Jasper followed as he inspected the clothes displayed on the mannequins. His royal attire was mended and cleaned, but he didn't want to stand out any more than he already did. He didn't really want to wear the dweller clothes either.

"All of your outfits have been laundered and pressed and...seems I did something else to them but I can't recall what at the moment."

"Thanks, that's good to know," Erick chuckled.

"There is a new type of gauntlet available, if that interests you."

Thats right, he had gotten a new one from Theresa that he hadn't tried out yet. "Can you grab it for me?"

"Yes sir."

He was looking at some gloves he found in the Reliquary when Jasper returned. "Those new gloves would look supremely handsome gripping the hilt of a finely polished sword. Which reminds me, where have I left the sword polish?" he said to himself.

"I think I'll stick with my old ones."

"Is that the outfit you will be wearing?" Jasper asked as Erick turned to leave.

"Uh, yeah. I guess so."

"Well, that's not the way most people would go. I applaud you."

"Most people have the money to buy proper clothes," Erick huffed. He took the gauntlet, grabbed his cap, and left to find Walter.

He got some strange looks as he went through the town, but he tried his best to ignore them. He got distracted a few times and ended up by the bridge near the entrance to town. There was a large poster with King Logan pointing a gloved hand at the viewer. It had the words, ALBION NEEDS YOU in large bolded letters. The portrait was fairly, _inaccurate_ to saw the least. Sure, Logan had hollow cheeks, but his cheekbones did not stick out _that_ much. And his goatee was certainly not fluffy.

"I'm glad Logan's not really that ugly," Erick said quietly to himself.

"At least you can't add _unattractive_ to his long list of faults," a light voice chuckled. The Blacksmith Steven stood off to his left with his arms folded.

"Huh? Oh, hi Steven," he said nervously, turning to face him.

"I heard about what you did at the academy. So I guess you really are a Hero…"

"Word travels fast."

A few seconds ticked by with them both staring at the poster before Steven turned to him. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I was kinda rude…"

"No not at all. I understand."

"Just, let me get this off my chest, okay?"

Erick glanced back at the poster for a moment, then nodded and gave Steven his full attention.

"I misjudged you, and I'd just like to say, sorry." Steven held out his hand in apology, and Erick gladly accepted it.

"I looks like I'll be sticking around for a little bit longer. I look forward to seeing you again."

"Same here." Steven made direct eye contact before letting go of his hand. It made Erick fairly nervous, but he held his gaze. "You really aren't like your brother."

"I try not to be."

"Well, I'll see you around; Prince." Steven walked back to his shop, leaving Erick beside the poster. He looked back at it, and it seemed like Logan was pointing directly at him with a disappointed scowl.

"Shut up," Erick told the silent canvas. He went across the bridge to the tavern next to the pawn shop where Walter was waiting for him.

"You were successful then? Bloody marvelous!" Walter exclaimed as Erick approached. "You'll be glad to know that I have some information on the mercenaries Sabine mentioned. They are led by men named Saker. He used to be a soldier, but always had more in common with bandits and cutthroats than the military. His men are holed up in a small fortress in the mountains. So it won't be easy to get in, but I have a plan." Walter gave him a tiny wink and turned to walk up the stairs into the tavern.

"Okay, what is it?" Erick asked eagerly.

"Come with me."

Erick didn't think that getting drunk would help any, but he decided not to say anything. When they got up there, a filthy man in black clothes was passed out on top of the table.

"Uh, Walter, who's that?"

"One of the mercenaries. A cold-blooded killer. His name's Clarence, but everyone calls him Jimmy."

_Yeah, because Clarence totally sounds like Jimmy._

"Nice name, but I don't see how he can help us considering that he's not conscious at the moment." Erick took out his sword and nudged the mercenary with the hilt just to make sure.

"He was drinking in the pub all day and generally making life unpleasant for everyone. It wasn't hard to get him completely pickled. These young thugs, bloody light-weights if you ask me."

"Everyone's a light-weight compared to you," Erick stated with a teasing smile.

Walter gave a tiny grin under his bushy mustache. "Anyway, take his clothes and you'll have a free pass into their camp."

"What? Are you serious? Please tell me you're joking, this isn't really your plan is it?" Erick asked in horror.

"Trust me, this is the easiest way. Just try not to think about what those stains might be."

Erick shuddered just at the thought of touching the filthy man. "Alright, fine. I'll do it. Can you make sure that door's closed? I don't want anyone to walk in here and see this."

Walter gave a soft laugh, and Erick had a feeling that he was enjoying a little too much.

He took off the gloves first since they were easiest, but cringed as he started to remove his shirt. It was slightly damp and had the rancid smell of day old sweat. When Erick took off his hat he got a nice close up of the dried ale soaked into his greasy beard. He got a nice big whiff of Jimmy's foul breath as the unconscious mercenary breathed out heavily, but that was nothing compared to the disgusting smell as he took off his thick leather boots.

"Pass me that mug will you?"

"What for?" Walter asked, starting to grab the large beer mug on the table.

"I think I'm going to puke."

Instead of handing him the large beer cup, Walter laughed heartily. "Here, let me give you a hand." Walter knelt down and in one swift tug he ripped off Jimmy's pants. Erick fell back onto the floor and started dry heaving. He would have hurled right then and there, but he hadn't eaten since he left the castle. Well, he certainly wasn't going to eat anything now.

"Not funny," Erick wheezed when he stopped gaging.

"It is to me." Walter tossed him the pants, but Erick recoiled and the pants fell to the floor. He reluctantly picked them up and put them with the other clothes on the table.

"Hmm, you're not likely to convince anyone without a bit of extra effort. Even these idiots will notice if you don't have his beard or tattoos. I'm sure you can get hold of what you need around town though."

"Is there a place where I can get a fake beard? Otherwise Sabine is going to have to wait a while."

"There's a barber shop across the bridge where you could find such a thing. In the meantime, I'll find out who to talk to about getting food to the Dwellers. They might not have much to spare here but they're kind people. They'll just need a little convincing." Walter breathed heavily and looked down at Erick solemnly. "Anyway, good luck with Saker and his mercenaries. It will be your first taste of real battle, but I know you'll do just fine."

"I hope so," he said under his breath so Walter couldn't hear. Fighting was Erick's last resort. He wanted to try reasoning with them first. He didn't know if he would be able to kill a person. Walter watched Erick as he went out the door, his eyes trained on the ground.

Now the problem was getting enough money for a fake beard and a set of tattoos. He had a small handful of coins that he found in the reliquary, but he would probably need at least a hundred.

He tried getting a job as a pie maker, but he had never cooked a meal in his life so he had no idea what he was doing. He wandered around town looking for another job, but no place was hiring. They just didn't have enough business to pay for another employee. No wonder why there were so many beggars in Brightwall. He checked at all the stall venders, the barber shop, and even the tavern. He found himself in a furniture shop after getting rejected once again.

His eyes wandered around the shop as he tried to think of another place to look for work. Just as he was about to leave he spotted an old lute leaning against the wall. The wood surface was peeling and the strings were old and tattered, but other than that it looked okay.

"How much for that Lute?" Erick asked the shop lady. He didn't know why he was asking, he had no use for a lute. There used to be a plump bard that would come by the castle from time to time when Erick was younger. He used to sit on the staircase and listen to his fanciful melodies for hours. Most of the nobles in the castle ignored the bard. They preferred the sophisticated sound of the piano over the folk tunes of the ungraceful lute. The bard stopped coming after a few years, and Erick never found out why, but he still looked out the front windows every so often in hopes that he would return.

"Ya got coin stranger?" the grey haired woman replied nasally.

"A few pieces. How much do you want for it?"

She pursed her lips as she tapped her chipped nail on the counter. "Twenty gold, not a coin less."

That seemed rather expensive for such a dinged up instrument. Nevertheless, Erick fished in his pocket for the money. He placed the money on the counter without another word and grabbed the lute.

"Come back soon traveler," the lady said with a toothy smile as she slid the coins off the counter into her lanky fingers.

Erick gently picked at the worn strings as he headed to the large oak tree in the center of the village. It was extremely out of tune, as expected, but after a few minutes of tinkering he had it sounding relatively tuned.

He sat on the cracked stone wall and plucked at the strings in an attempt to recreate the timeworn songs he used to adore. A few children stopped to listen. Erick smiled and tried his best to pluck out an old dancing tune. The laughter of the children caught the attention of some villagers who stopped to listen.

"_I rather like that."_

"_That's good. That's really good."_

"_Didn't expect to like that, but I did."_

Erick couldn't help but smile when a few villagers laid coins at his feet. Looks like his investment payed off. He tried his hand at some more elaborate songs, and more villagers slowly trickled in, bringing more gold.

It was almost sunset when Jasper contacted Erick though the Seal.

"You appear to have earned enough gold to purchase the rather repulsive items that you require to complete your mercenary disguise. A most impressive feat for a member of the royal family. Of course, should you have acquired a taste for manual labor, you may continue working for as long as you wish."

"Maybe later. I'd better get going." He strapped the lute onto his back with his sword and rifle and headed to the barber shop down the hill.

The barber was a slender man with bright pink hair drawn up in an elaborate spiral. In severe contrast to the molded hair, he had an extremely thin black mustache curled at the ends like antennae. The real question was how did he get his hair to stay like that?

The barber noticed Erick's inquiring stare and asked, "Name's Lewis, you can call me Lou. What can I get for you?"

Erick fished his coin pouch out of his pocket and slipped it onto the counter. "Uh, some tattoos? And uh, a fake beard. A brown one."

Now it was the Barber's turn to stare at him strangely. "I don't mean to pry young man, but what put you up to getting tats and a beard? Lose a bet?"

"No, I need them for business, believe it or not." Erick smiled nervously.

"Good enough for me. So what kind of tats are you looking for?" Lewis said as he reached under the desk and pulled out a large book.

"Mercenary tattoos."

Lewis put down the book and inspected him closer with a shocked expression. "Okay, now I've gotta ask; what kind of business are you doing? And is it possible for me to talk you out of it? There are still plenty of ways to earn a honest living around here."

"What? Oh no, I'm not a mercenary!" Erick defended.

Lewis gave an indifferent shrug. "I'm not judging you, times are tough."

"No!" Erick shouted harshly. "I mean, I'm really _not_ a mercenary," he added softer. "I just need to clear up a few things."

"Whatever you say," the barber said, unconvinced. "Where do you want 'em?"

"Uh, tally marks. Right arm."

"That's a popular one. I can put an anchor on your shoulder blade if you're feeling adventurous."

"No thanks, just the arm."

"Alright then, have a seat." The barber directed him to a large red chair riddled with tools that looked like they belonged in a torture chamber.

Erick nervously sat on the edge of the seat and draped his arm over the edge.

"I can get these removed later right?"

"Yeah, it'll hurt and most likely leave a scar, but it's doable. Are you sure you really want them?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"You sure?"

Erick took a deep breath and looked down at his arm. This was probably the last time he was going to see it unaltered. Well, goodbye flawless skin. "Yes. I'm sure."

"This business thing must be really important to you."

"No, it's not really, but I have a lot of people depending on me. It's important to them."

Lewis gave him a strange look, but not skeptical like before. Was it sympathy? He turned away before Erick could figure it out. He grabbed a large needle and a bottle of black ink.

Erick watched as he started, but after the first few tally marks he was content with looking at the mannequins on the other side of the room. It was like thousands of tiny bee stings, and Erick found himself biting his lip.

"So, as long as we're sitting here, why don't you tell me a little about yourself," Lewis prompted.

"Um, there's not really much to say," Erick replied, trying to concentrate on keeping his arm relaxed.

"Oh, come on, there's no need to be shy. We have plenty of time here. You're a good looking young man, I bet the girls are fawning over you. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh, no." Erick was getting more uncomfortable every moment, and that subject certainly wasn't helping.

"Oh, I gotcha. So, boyfriend?"

"What? No!"

"You don't have to get defensive. Like I said, I'm not judging you. I had a cousin that–"

"Okay, let's just...leave it alone."

Erick thought that he would have had a few minutes to himself, but the barber had other ideas.

"So where do you live?"

_Man, this guy is chatty. But I guess that's sort of in the job description._

"No where at the moment," Erick answered honestly.

"Got kicked out of the house?"

"No. Uh, I left." Erick looked over at him, trying to convey that he didn't want to talk about it, but he didn't notice.

"Looking for fame and fortune no doubt."

Erick stopped to think for a second before answering. "I guess you could say that."

A few uncomfortable seconds ticked by before Lewis spoke again. "So do you have any siblings?"

"What?"

"You know, brothers and sisters. Do you have any?"

"Uh, yeah a brother," Erick said quietly. Again, a bad subject for him.

"Older or younger?" the barber prodded.

"Older."

"Well, tell me about him," the barber suggested, roughly rubbing the ink into Erick's raw skin, making him cringe slightly.

"Uh…" Erick wasn't exactly sure how to answer that, but he figured that if he told the barber exactly who his brother was he might redirect that pretty little needle at his neck.

"There has to be _something_ you can tell me about him."

"Well, he's rich. Really rich. Um, there's not really much to say about him." Erick looked out the window for a second and let out a deep sigh. "To tell you the truth we aren't really on very good terms at the moment."

"Ah, a fight huh? Well, you're brothers. I'm sure you'll work it out sometime," Lewis said as he adjusted the needle.

"It's not that simple. He took away something that was very important to me."

"Surely whatever it is, it can't be more important then family right?"

"To me it was," Erick said honestly. "I was never very close with my family."

"Do you want some advice from an old man?" The barber stopped to wipe off his needle.

"Sure, I'll take what I can get."

"Forget about it."

"What?"

"Whatever it was, whatever he did to you and whatever you might have said, just forget about it. The sooner you do that, the sooner you can forgive your brother and realize his side of things. From what I've seen, hate comes from guilt. Maybe he did something awful to you, but did you stop to think that perhaps you hurt him too? Even if you can't see it now, I'm sure that there is still some good left in your brother."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, let me start by telling you something about my little brother. I picked on him non-stop and we were always fighting about something, and frankly he won half the time. But no matter how hard he hit me, or how hurtful his words were, I still loved him. I would do anything for him. I gave him a rough time because I wanted him to be stronger. I wanted him to be better than I was."

"My brother's not like that. He hates me."

"You may think he does, but I'm sure he still loves you. Trust me. You just can't see it yet."

"I don't think you understand. I _know_ that he hates me. The last thing he said, what that he was disappointed in me. He was the reason I left home, and why I'm never going back. Even if he doesn't hate me, I hate him. And that's not going to change anytime soon."

The barber looked up at him and gave a gentle smile. "Put some cold water on it," he said before he got up and retrieved a small box from a high shelf.

Erick sat thinking for a moment. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I meant the tattoo."

"Oh right."

Erick gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed his cap with his unaltered arm. "For a second there I thought you were suggesting that I drown the king of Albion."

Never before had Erick wished so badly that he could take back his words. Lewis froze, still processing what he just heard. Erick cringed as the barber's jaw dropped and his eyebrows lowered in anger.

The next moment, Erick was being shoved out the door. He stumbled over his own feet and fell, smacking his face into the half wall bordering the walkway. He gently prodded his bleeding lip as he looked up at the large man looming over him.

"I hope both you and your brother die horribly! It'll serve you right you filthy autocrat! The worst of luck to you and your cursed family!" Lewis chucked a small box at his feet before going back inside and slamming the door closed.

Erick slid the box closer and looked inside to see the supplies he paid for. He picked up the wood box and got to his feet. A group of villagers had stopped to see, their cruel eyes watching him incredulously.

"_It's that stranger."_

"_What is he doing here?"_

"_These outsiders always get into trouble somehow."_

Erick lowered his head in shame and gently pushed past them. A thick man knocked into his shoulder harshly with a warning sneer. He walked to the small group of houses by the outer wall and when he was sure that no one was watching, he returned to the Sanctuary.

"Prince Erick, got in a fight I presume?"

"What? Oh…" Erick started to wipe the blood from his lip, but Jasper came forward and cleaned it with a white cloth. No matter the situation, Jasper always seemed to have the right tool on hand. "I got kicked out of the barber shop."

"I thought life as royalty would have provided you with better manners."

Erick chuckled softly and nervously ran his fingers though his hair. "That's half the problem really. People aren't too keen on serving the brother of King Logan."

"Don't mind them, you should be proud of your heritage. You are the son of the Great Hero King after all."

"Well, people seem to conveniently forget that. Oh yeah, I need your help."

"As always."

Erick gave an acknowledging shrug, and showed him the small wooden box. "I need help with this."

"Of course sir, have a seat." Jasper pulled up a stool and took to box. He hummed gently as he daubed the glue on Erick's upper lip.

"Why are you here?"

"Where else would I be?"

"I don't know, anywhere. Nothing is forcing you to stay. Why did you leave the castle with me? You didn't have to. You could have stayed and gotten another job. You could do anything you want, so why are you still here with me?"

"You think that I serve you just because it's my job?"

"Why else would you? You have to admit, I'm pretty rude to you most of the time."

"Your father entrusted me with your safety and well-being. I have faithfully fulfilled my duty for over twenty years. And in those twenty years I have learned to love you as I would my own son. Yes, even considering your mistakes and certain personality quirks, I love you with every ounce of my heart. Now, what makes you think I would ever let you go out on a dangerous adventure without me?"

Erick felt a tiny smile prick his lips, and this time he let them rise. "So, you won't leave me alone?"

"Never."

"Thanks. I won't forget this."

Jasper finished attaching the beard, and Erick dressed in his freshly cleaned mercenary clothes then headed back to Brightwall. He was just heading for the gate when he heard a yelp and a sharp clatter off to his right. He stopped to see Steven collapsed on the ground behind his anvil.

"Hey, you okay?" Erick asked, drawing closer.

Steven flinched, but then visibly relaxed. "Oh, it's just you."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Erick helped the blacksmith to his feet and Steven retrieved his tools. "What are doing dressed like that? I thought you were a bandit or something."

"I'm going undercover!" Erick announced proudly, throwing his arms wide. "So how do I look?"

"Uh, you've got some hair sticking out."

"Where? Here?"

"Let me." Steven removed his hat and the cap underneath, untying the sloppy knot, gazing at Erick as he did so. "Did you dye your hair?"

"Huh? Oh, no I didn't. I was born with it. It used to be darker, almost black, but it just got lighter as I got older."

"Interesting. Well, you can't have any of it showing if you want to pass as a mercenary. Turn around."

Erick did as he was told and Steven put on the cap, tucking his hair tightly underneath. Steven turned him back around and put the hat on him.

"There. Now you look like any other filthy merc."

"Thanks. I look pretty good in a beard, don't you think?"

"No."

"Well, it was worth a shot."

Steven glanced down at his arm, and ran his finger over the tally marks. "Those are real aren't they?"

"Yeah. It's no big deal," Erick said with a small shrug, but he had the feeling that Steven could tell he was lying.

"What in the world are you getting yourself in to?"

"I have no idea. Believe me."

"Then why are you doing it?"

Erick breathed out as if he was smoking a pipe. "I don't really have any other choice."

"You always have a choice. Are you sure you're making the right one?"

"No, I'm not sure, but I don't know what else to do."

"Well, if you need help with anything, you know where to find me." Steven gave a wide smile, broken by a few missing teeth.

"Thanks, I'll be sure to check in when I get back." Erick waved goodbye and started jogging towards the gate, Sam right on his heels.

"You'd better come back in one piece!"

"I'll do my best!"

Erick was hit by a gust of warm mountain air as he went through the gate and out onto the crumbling bridge. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. Fresh air. Clean and unaltered. There was absolutely no trace of industrial fumes or rank sewer water. Just clean air right off the frosted paths of Mistpeak. He could smell the pine trees and uncut grass. It was so natural and pure, he had never experienced anything like it.

Freedom. That was the only word he had for it. And that was worth fighting for.

* * *

**Hiyas, author here. **

**I feel kinda chatty at the moment, so you can take a few minutes to read if ya wanna. So, other than being an author, I am also a fairly competent artist. I started with drawing horses, but now people are my forte. And yes, I am do have a point to all this. I have quite a stack of drawings of Fable characters and events specific to this story. The problem is that most of them don't come in until later. : / Anyway, if you would like to see some of them, then I would be happy to stick them up on my DeviantArt for you. So let me know if that is something you would be interested in. Also, if you want me to draw a certain scene or character, just let me know and I would be happy to take a few hours and put something together. And if any of you guys are artists or just have some doodles, than I would love to see your Fable characters. Even screenshots from in-game if you want. I really like seeing other people's characters, and would absolutely love it if you could submit some to my tumblr or facebook page. Feel free to leave me a message or a question at anytime! I would be happy to chat with you. **

**Thanks for everything you wonderful people!**

**Wildfire707, signing off...**


	6. Chapter 6: First Blood

Erick stood on the bank of the glistening river. He shifted his weight from his left foot to his right then back again. He twisted one of the rusting bronze buttons as he gazed at his reflection in the slow moving water. His light grey eyes were wide, his thin eyebrows drawn up. He forcefully brought his lips down to a scowl and glared at the water.

_Yeah, that's not convincing at all._

Instead of trying to look intimidating, he scooped up a handful of mud and smeared it on his smooth face. He shuddered as he smeared it over his eyebrows and across his cheekbones.

Erick closed his eyes and breathed heavily, forcing himself to relax. He stepped into the shallow water and headed for the thick wooden gate. He nervously lowered the filthy black cap over his eyes as he got closer.

"Hey Jimmy! Back from killing some Dwellers?" Erick didn't dare look up at the man on the tower. He bobbed his head in acknowledgement although he was burning with fury. "Come on in," the merc instructed as the gate lifted.

Erick gave a wave and walked though the gate, trying his best to look casual. He passed between two posts, each holding a deserter flag. A bright red bird painted over the Albion flag. It made him even more furious to see the familiar flag disgraced in such a way.

He tried to keep his head down as he went further into camp, but he found himself glancing up at the drunken guard on the tower who was trying to belt out a song.

"Aaaaaaaaaand the rain falls down, upon my heeeeeeead! Shot that bird it was stone cold deeeeeead!"

Erick's heart was pounding as he passed two mercenaries posted by a cannon.

"_You been up to much lately?"_

"_Meh."_

"_Yeah, me neither. Sometimes I wish I joined me dad in the family business."_

"_Why didn't ya?"_

"_Well I never really saw myself as a sugar salesman. And It wasn't really feasible after I killed him and all."_

"_Ah, shame."_

"_Hey Jimmy over here. Don't be shy Jim, come on over. Jimmy! Over here mate!"_

It took a moment before Erick remembered that he was supposed to be Jimmy. He decided to go over to them so it wouldn't look suspicious.

"Jimmy! Show Stilts here that thing you do. You know, the _thing_."

"What thing?"

_Yeah, what thing? _

Erick briefly entertained the thought of just shooting them both, but instantly dismissed it. He didn't want to kill if he could help it. He had to do something. At least something to shut these two up.

"Oh go on!" the first one prodded. "He was doing it all day last Tuesday."

A flicker of an idea popped into his head, but it wasn't a very pleasant one.

Erick held out his hand towards Stilts, and after a brief hesitation he took it. Erick ripped him forward and planted a huge kiss right on his lips. Stilts tried to pull back, but Erick held him there for a few seconds, even leaning forward so Stilts was forced to bend back.

He finally let go and Stilts stepped back, wiping his mouth on his glove. The other guy was laughing so hard it sounded like he was gonna choke on his tongue.

_Not exactly how I envisioned my first kiss. _

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick!" Stilts exclaimed, cupping his hand over his mouth.

_How do you think I feel? I'm not the one with skunk breath._

Stilts suddenly hunched over, spraying Erick's shoes with bile and making the other laugh even harder.

Erick began gagging, and again he was glad that he hadn't eaten. He quickly turned away and headed for the inner gate, scrubbing his mouth with his glove. He came to two other guys in front of a metal cage containing a large wolf with ragged black fur.

"Roll over you stupid mutt!"

"Don't get too close! Dumb things probably got rabies or somethin'. What're we gonna call 'im?"

"How about Gilbert? After that fellow that stiffed us on the last job. It'll make it more fun to kill him."

The wolf snarled and snapped at the bars. It was getting harder and harder for Erick to stick to his 'no killing' policy.

"Doesn't Wolfie like his cage?"

"Wolfie? I told you, Gilbert!"

"He just doesn't look like a Gilbert to me."

Erick ground his teeth and left, silently wishing that they'd both get bitten. He came to another wall, a single guard posted at the gate.

"Alright Jim, how's things? You been drinking in Brightwall again? Don't let anybody tell ya drinking alone is wrong. That's some of the best times I've had."

_Probably one of the worst times for Jimmy though. He's gonna have quite a shock when he wakes up to find all his clothes missing._

"Anyway, in you go then."

Erick gave another nod and headed inside. The camp was set in a natural gully with high rock walls and tall trees dotting the outskirts. There were a few campfires and what seemed to be a graveyard hidden behind a small wooden cabin. He watched a few men sparing when he approached the next gate.

"Jimmy? That really you?" Erick made the mistake of turning to look up at the man that addressed him. "You look different somehow. Were your eyes always that color?"

The potbellied man he was talking to turned around to look at him, and Erick didn't dare turn away. "Nah, Jimmy's got periwinkle eyes, like a beautiful summer morning sky. That's not him!"

"Hi, nice to meet you," Erick said with a tiny wave.

"That's not Jimmy!" he shouted, drawing his sword. The other men stopped fighting and turned on him.

"There's no need for that, let's just talk about this," Erick suggested, holding up his hands defensively. They continued advancing, one of them snickered cruelly . "Okay fine, I get it you're upset and I know you want to kill me, but I just have one question: What's a periwinkle?"

"I'm glad you asked," the potbellied one answered. "It's this little–"

"Don't listen to that guy! We're supposed to be killing him!"

"Oh right."

They backed him up against the gate, swords drawn and guns raised. "Please, don't make me do this." Erick begged.

"Do what? Die? I'd love it actually."

"I wish it didn't have to be this way, I'm sorry." Erick shut his eyes, and closed his hands tightly.

"Jimmy was my mate! DIE!"

Erick thrust out his hand, sending a wave of lightening arcing over the four mercs. They went rigid, bolts of electricity freezing them in place.

"Hmm. I like this new gauntlet." Erick balanced on the cabin railing and clambered onto the roof. He jumped over the wall to the other side, landing on top of the merc standing guard.

"Pardon me!" Erick leapt to his feet and ran up the hill.

"Get him!"

"Don't mind me, just passing through," Erick said as he bolted past some flustered mercs. He didn't get very far before a bullet pierced his back. In one fluid move, he grabbed his rifle and shot over his shoulder, hitting a barrel of gunpowder. It exploded with a sharp crack and sent a few mercenaries tumbling over the sandbags.

"Hey! You're not supposed to shoot back, stop it!"

"Sorry 'bout it." Erick said with a shrug. When he turned back around he was met with the sight of an axe bearing down on him. He rolled to the side and seized the man's wrist. He twisted it sharply, making him drop his weapon and kicked him down the slope.

Erick continued on, unsheathing his sword as more mercs came. He tried to bolt past them, but they surrounded him like a pack of wolves. He rushed forward to break through their guard, but they shoved him back into the ring.

"_Where do you think you're goin'?"_

"_The road ends here."_

"_I'm gonna enjoy killing you."_

They cackled in anticipation, more men joining in on the slaughter. Erick whipped around, looking for an escape. A merc let out a roar and charged. Erick darted to the side and kicked him in the back. He tried to twist around as another man charged, but he lost his balance and the man fell on top of him, his filthy face only inches away.

He expected to feel burly hands on his throat any second, but it wasn't until he looked into the merc's wide eyes that he noticed his sword was buried hilt deep in the man's chest.

Erick pushed the body off of him, his hands shaking as he pulled the sword out of his ribcage.

"You killed him!" a young merc yelled. "You just bloody killed him!"

"I'm sorry, it was an accident!" Erick shouted.

They all gawked at him in astonishment. "What kind of an assassin are you?" one piped up.

"I'm not! I just–"

"Kill the Jimmy impersonator!"

As much as Erick hated killing, at this point it was either them or him. He gritted his teeth and leapt into the fray, hacking any body part that came within reach. He attempted to only incapacitate them, but he feared that a few of them would die of blood loss. He probably wasn't doing them any favors by letting them live.

It wasn't long before the ground was riddled with the dead and dying. Erick moved to wipe a splatter of blood off his face with his sleeve, but just ended up smearing more on. He looked down at his clothes, blood quickly disappearing in the dark material. He wiped his sword on his pants, which didn't do much to clean it, and stepped over the debris.

A small group of mercs were waiting for him at the end of the trail. One stood in front while the other three cowered behind a wall of sandbags.

"I don't want any trouble!" Erick called out, his sword held loosely in his hand. "I just want to see Saker!"

"There's no way we're letting you through, so you might as well just turn around."

"Sorry, no can do."

"Then you leave us with no other choice but to kill you!"

"Good luck," Erick huffed. He switched to his rifle and shot the first, knocking him backwards over the barricade.

"Kill the bugger before he shoots someone else!"

The words barely left the merc's mouth when Erick planted a bullet between his eyes. He didn't bother reloading as he grabbed his sword and ran for the barrier. He flipped over the top and stabbed a merc in the shoulder, rolling away before he could strike back.

"Get 'im!" Three more mercs burst from the trees, swords held high.

Erick stumbled back, colliding with a barrel of gunpowder. Sure enough, there was a cannon a few yards away with three more barrels adjacent. The problem was that it was closer to him than the mercs.

Erick dove behind the barrel and kicked it as hard as he could. It toppled over, tripping one of the mercenaries. Erick started to run when the man latched onto his ankle. He fell forward, landing hard and sending his sword flying out of his grasp. He flipped his rifle over his shoulder, hastily loading a single bullet. He raised his gun, and aimed it at the keg of gunpowder.

_I am so gonna regret this..._

Erick screwed his eyes shut as he shot the keg. Time seemed to slow as the barrel exploded. He could feel the ground shudder an instant before the flames. The shockwave hit only milliseconds after that, knocking him to the ground. The chain reaction started, igniting the other kegs.

Erick's vision blacked as he hit the ground. He waited there for a few moments, air refusing to enter his lungs. The ground seemed to tilt and sway beneath his hands. His senses came back in stages. First, his vision cleared, but all he could see was chunks of wood falling through a cloud of smoke. Then, his hearing came back, offering a loud steady ringing. Finally, he lungs began to work again, and he coughed harshly.

Then came the inevitable pain.

First it was just an overall raw feeling, but it quickly escalated into a searing pain over his whole body. Like snake venom was coursing through his veins. The pain increased ever more as the numbness vanished. Erick let out a groan as he tried to raise himself. He shook his head gently as he tried to orient himself.

The cloth covering his knees was gone and so was most of his skin, but that was nothing compared to his arm. It looked as if it had been skinned almost to the bone then burnt over a fire. At least he didn't have to worry about getting that tattoo removed anymore.

He shouldn't be alive. That would have killed any other man. In fact it seemed like the explosion had killed all five of the mercenaries. He could only hope that their deaths were quick.

It took a few moments before he felt the gentle drip on his collar bone.

_No. Please no. _

Erick shakily raised his hand but his glove prevented him from feeling anything. He tore it off with his teeth and dropped it into his lap. His fingers moved up to his right cheek, or at least where it should have been.

His fingertips gently prodded the raw muscle and he could feel the bones and teeth underneath. He began to panic as he moved up to his eye. It was still there. Thank heavens it was still there.

He let out an unsteady breath, fingers brushing his eyelid in relief. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, his panic subsiding. He kept his hand still as the skin swiftly grew back.

It wasn't until he tried to get up that he felt the sharp pain in his side. A large piece of steel from a broken blade was imbedded just above his hip. He quickly grabbed it and ripped it out, the wound swiftly closing.

_It's a safe bet that I'm never trying that again._

Erick glanced over the wreckage, his panic returning when he saw no sign of his faithful border collie.

"Sam? Sam!" He heaved himself to his feet and was about to start searching the area when a loud bark came from down the hill.

Sam came running up to meet him, tail wagging in delight.

"There you are girl," Erick said as he bent down to greet her. "I thought I lost you. I can't risk you getting hurt. I'm taking you back to Jasper." Sam gave a soft whine and licked his chin.

Erick rubbed behind her ears in apology, and activated the Seal.

Sure enough, Jasper was waiting for him. The butler was turned away, dusting one of the candle sticks. "You are doing an admirable job out there; facing those undesirables on your own. That requires true courage."

"Yeah, I'm getting my trash kicked."

Jasper turned around, his feather duster falling to the ground when he saw Erick. "My prince, whatever happened to you?"

"I lost a fight with a powder keg."

"Oh dear. That explains the state of your apparel. Is there any way I can assist you?"

"I need you to take care of Sam. I don't know what will happen out there."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Hopefully I'll be back soon."

"As you wish."

Erick turned to leave, but Sam followed him. "Go lay down," he instructed, pointing towards the basket Jasper set out. Sam sat at his feet, big brown eyes looking at up him. "Go on Samantha."

Sam whimpered, and went to the basket with her tail between her legs. Erick turned back to the Cullis gate and moments later he was back at the Mercenary camp. He appeared in front of a raised gate, which he swiftly entered. It looked like some sort of sparing arena. The moment he entered, the gate slammed closed behind him.

"Caught like a rat in a trap," a mercenary sneered from atop the wall.

"Let's finish him!"

"Leave him!" a coarse voice demanded. Erick craned his neck to see a man crouched on top of a tall wooden tower. His muscular arms were bare but his shins were protected by thick steel plates. Tattoos lined his arms and one side of his rough face. His head was shaved all except for a small path down the middle. A large cigar was clamped between his black teeth as he pulled his lips back in a snarl. "He's mine!"

"You must be Saker," Erick guessed. "I've come to make a request on the behalf of Sabine and the Dweller Tribe."

"You've left quite a trail of bodies." Saker took the cigar from his mouth and tapped the ash into his palm.

"I am sorry, but it couldn't be avoided. There needn't be any further bloodshed. Just leave the Dwellers alone, and this can all end here."

"You're not one of Sabine's Dwellers, that's for sure. But you will die like one."

Saker leapt off the tower, landing in front of Erick with a heavy thud. When he drew up to his full height he was much taller than Walter, maybe even Boulder if that was physically possible. This guy must have been half giant or something.

"It doesn't have to be this way," Erick told Saker.

"What's the matter, you chicken?" a spectator snickered, bringing on a wave of taunting from several others.

"Doesn't have to be, but it's the way I want it."

"You can't say I didn't warn you." Erick drew his sword, and politely waited for Saker to draw his weapon, but he never did. Saker held up his hands like a boxer and stepped forward, tapping his bronze knuckles

"To each his own I suppose." This fight was going to be easier than he thought. Erick lurched forward and slashed at Saker's chest. Saker stepped to the side and clobbered him in the shoulder before kicking him away.

_Okay, maybe not so easy._

Erick got to his feet, his pride hurt more than anything else. When he turned around Saker was holding a flaming bottle. He barely had enough time to dive out of the way as Saker chucked it at him, the bottle shattering and covering the ground in burning oil.

Fine. If Saker was going to use molotov's, then he was going to use magic. Erick spun around and shot a bolt of lighting from his gauntlet. Saker hardly even flinched. Magic clearly didn't do much, so Erick went back to his rifle. He didn't even get it over his shoulder before Saker rushed forward with an uppercut to his jaw.

Erick's neck snapped back, and he went flying like a rag doll. He waited on the ground until Saker came to him, then jabbed his blade into his thigh. Saker roared with fury and kicked him in the stomach. Then he grabbed Erick's shirt and threw him halfway across the arena.

Erick rolled onto his side and shot Saker in the abdomen. That stopped him for about half a second, and succeeded in making him even more furious. Was there anything that could hurt this guy? Erick's eyes found the two remaining molotov's on his belt. He scooted back along the packed dirt and fired at the giant again. Saker gave a satisfied smirk as he missed completely. Luckily, the next shot hit its mark. The bottle exploded, soaking Saker's leg in flaming oil.

Saker dropped like a rock, frantically patting his burning leg.

Erick sprung to his feet and slashed at him, cutting a gash in his shoulder. Before he could strike again, Saker slammed a fist into his leg, breaking his kneecap. Nevertheless, he twisted around and cut a gash into Saker's back.

Saker lurched forward, driving his fist under his ribcage. The sound of Erick's ribs breaking sounded throughout the entire arena. He fell to the ground, blood leaking from between his lips. He forced himself to rise, but was too slow. Saker grabbed Erick's head, and rammed it into his knee, shattering his nose. He snatched the rifle from Erick's back as he crumpled to the ground.

Saker gripped the gun in both hands and raised it high above his head.

"No… Don't…" Erick groaned, reaching towards the precious rifle.

Saker brought the weapon crashing down against his knee, breaking it in half. He chucked the pieces to the ground, and kicked them out of reach.

"You don't like that do you?" Saker bellowed. "You're going to like it even less when I do it to your pretty little neck!"

Erick clenched his fists, digging his nails deep into the sunbaked dirt.

"How dare you?"

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that. Why don't you say it to my face?" Saker smiled cruelly, reveling in his victory.

"That was my father's!" Erick shouted, splattering Saker's feet with specks of blood.

"Oh yeah? What's a punk like you gonna do about it?"

"I'm gonna bathe the earth in your blood and mount your head on a spit."

Saker's smile faltered as Erick glared up at him, his eyes glowing with fury. He didn't have enough time to even think about moving when a blade ripped through his shin guards and tore away a chunk of his flesh. He held his arms up defensively as the young man leapt into the air and slashed at his face.

Saker was beaten back as Erick savagely hacked at him from every angle. A trail of blood fell to the ground as he retreated backwards, doing his best to defend himself from the blows. He grabbed Erick's wrist, but he hopped off the ground and slammed his heel into his jaw, releasing his grip. Less than a second later, the thin blade sunk into his chest. He threw a wild haymaker at his attacker, but Erick was already out of reach. Before he could get his balance, Erick leapt to his feet and slammed both heels into his chest, knocking him to his knees.

"Stop! You've won!"

Erick froze. Saker was kneeling in front of him, head bowed in defeat.

_Did I do that?_

He knew that he did, but it just felt so unreal that he couldn't comprehend it. Everything had happened so fast, it took a moment for his mind to catch up. His breath felt hot on his tongue. His head felt like it was on fire. The edge of his vision pulsated red. He had his blade angled to kill. Not threaten, but to kill. Had he really been that angry? Erick gradually relaxed, his sword falling to his side.

"This battle is yours," Saker heaved. "Kill me or let me live; it's your choice, and my men will honor it. We may be nothing but mercenaries, but we have our codes, like any other solider."

Erick watched him in bewilderment. He felt disoriented and drained.

"We'll leave the Dwellers be, no matter what you do. _That_ is a warrior's promise."

Kill or let live. Killing him would be so much easier. He wouldn't have to worry about Saker coming for revenge later. It would be a surefire way to protect the Dwellers. His hand tightened on his hilt, but almost instantly seethed it. He couldn't kill a defenseless man. Besides, he might be able to convince Saker to join the rebellion.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his tongue felt raw. Instead of speaking, he smacked Saker's jaw, making the cigar fall from his mouth. Then he reached down a hand.

Saker looked at him in confusion. He picked up his cigar, then took his hand. Erick leaned back, helping him the larger man to his feet.

"Thank you. I won't forget this."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Let the stranger go!" Saker announced to the crowd.

"Name's Erick. Prince of Albion."

Saker's jaw dropped, the cigar falling back to the ground.

Erick gave a smile and a salute before heading for the gate, retrieving the remains of his rifle on the way, but ended up dropping the pieces as a portal suddenly appeared in front of him. He turned back to see if Saker noticed it, but he hadn't moved. Even the smoke from his fallen cigar was frozen.

It took him a moment to realize that Theresa must have stopped time temporarily. That meant that he had to go back to that dream world. He'd rather stay with the bloodthirsty mercenaries. Even so, he picked up the parts of his rifle again and stepped into it.

This time when he appeared in front of the gate, there was an image of Saker along with Jasper and Walter.

"You have taken another step on the Road to Rule," Theresa announced.

"Road to Rule? Is that what this place is called?"

"You may call it what you wish. Do you have any other questions?" Theresa made it sound like a dare rather than a inquiry.

"Uh, no. Not at the moment."

"Sparing Saker has won over the support of his followers. Word is already spreading of your compassion, and your strength."

"Sounds good to me... Wait I have another–"

Theresa faded away, quicker than usual.

"Never mind, it wasn't that important. Just that I may be going insane. No biggy."

Erick waited for a few moments, but the seer didn't return. Not that he really expected her to. He sighed and went forward through the next gate.

Sam ran towards Erick the instant he entered the sanctuary. He bent down and ran his fingers through her fur as she licked his face.

"It is a momentous occasion sir, your first victory in battle."

"It sure didn't feel like a victory," Erick stated, still petting Sam.

"I'm no expert on personal combat, but I would say, based on the fact that you're not dead, you acquitted yourself quite well. It's hard to believe that just a few days ago I was rousing you from a comfortable bed."

"I wish you still were," Erick said as he stood up and took off his jacket.

"Would you like for me to mend that for you?"

"Just throw it out. I'm never going to wear it again."

"Yes sir. It would seem that you have completed two of the tasks Sabine set for you. If you return to Brightwall, you will find Sir Walter has some news on how to fulfill the last requirement."

"I think I'm gonna put off returning to Brightwall. I need sleep Jasper."

"Of course sir."

"I'll go back in the morning. Do you happen to have any food?"

"I do indeed. It is not as good quality as what you are accustomed to, but I believe you will find it quite filling."

Erick changed out of his fitly clothes and washed off the dried blood with a wet cloth. He was picking chips of wood out of his hair when Jasper brought him a small meal of dry bread and oatmeal. The taste was borderline repulsive, but he was too hungry to really care. After that he grabbed a thick wool blanket and lay on the ground next to Sam's basket. Jasper offered him a bed in the living quarters, but Erick declined.

He spent most of the night stroking Sam's fur and gazing up at the familiar chandelier. He tried to imagine he was back at the castle before all this talk of a revolution. He closed his eyes and went back through his memories with Elise, fearing that he might forget her face.

When sleep finally found him, it was brief and restless.

* * *

**Okay, so you guys got a little deleted scene of sorts at the end there. I wasn't planning on including it, and I still might consider removing it from the final version.  
**

**And I have made Tuesday my weekly update. I think a week should be enough time for a chapter. So yeah. ^~^**

**I'd just like to thank all of you again. It seriously makes my day to read your wonderful reviews. :D**


	7. Chapter 7: Gnomes and Gargoyles

The sun was just peaking over the mountains when Erick returned to Brightwall. A guard watched him suspiciously as he went straight for the tavern. When he started up the stairs he heard a resounding voice that could only belong to Walter. "There's a chicken feather in my beer, is that normal?"

"Uh, yes. The special ingredient of our Silver Hen Ale. I find it lends the brew a rather piquant flavor," a languid voice answered. Erick was sure that he knew who the voice belonged to, but he couldn't quite place it.

"But Samuel, this isn't a Silver Hen Ale," Walter responded as Erick entered.

"Then no, that's just a chicken feather. I wouldn't drink that if I were you."

"Ah! Here he is!" Walter boldly announced, taking a swig of the beer despite Samuel's warning. "We were just talking about you." His words were slurred and he slumped in his chair awkwardly.

"Indeed," Samuel agreed quickly. "We have made a toast to your stupendous feat of ridding Mistpeak of Saker and his men. They have been a source of great stress for a long time."

"Uh huh…" Erick hummed, although he figured it was much more than a single toast. As he approached the table he noticed that the blade of Walter's jagged sword was stuck in the floorboards.

"Nobody will be more pleased than Sabine. His Dwellers might find some peace now," Walter stated.

"Of course, no one has suffered more than they."

"Walter, have you been drinking this whole time?" Erick asked, seeing the empty bottles piled on the shelf behind him.

"I've been telling Samuel here about the terrible situation they're in," Walter continued, seemingly ignoring his question. "He thinks he may be able to help."

"Yes. Well, perhaps. I mean of course. The thing is, as I was just explaining to Sir Walter, Brightwall has no overabundance of resources itself. The king's levies are rather steep, and we face shortages more often than is comfortable."

"But…" Walter prodded. He reached for his mug, but Erick scooted it away. Walter gave him ornery glare, but didn't reach for it again.

"_But_, were you to improve things around Brightwall, the people would be most grateful. And when people are grateful, they're also charitable. I'm sure they would find it in their hearts to send aid to those poor people."

"There you have it," Walter said with a drowsy sweep of his arm. "The way I see it, you will need all the followers you can get if you're going to lead a successful rebellion. What better time to start?"

"Samuel, how many cups did he have?" Erick asked the aging librarian.

"I lost count, but I'd have to say at least twenty. Probably more."

"Over twenty? Walter, I wasn't gone that long."

"Yes you were," Walter declared. "Because I had time to drink exactly thirty-eight cups and still tell Samuel my life story."

"He just told me about his time in the army. I couldn't understand half of it," Samuel admitted.

"That is my whole life."

"Thirty-eight Walter? I swear, you're going to die of liver failure or something stupid like that. Samuel, I'm gonna head out. Can you keep an eye on him for me?"

"Uh…"

"Just, make sure he doesn't fall down the stairs or anything."

"I heard that," Walter said with a scowl.

"You meant to. I don't want to come back to find out you have a broken hip or something."

"You're talking as if I have one foot in the grave."

"Not yet, but you will if you keep drinking like that."

Samuel looked uncomfortable as he glanced back and forth between them, but said nothing.

"I glad to know that you're concerned for my health, but you needn't worry about me. You have other things you need to take care of. Now run along, I'll be fine."

Erick gave a unsatisfied snort, and turned away. But instead of leaving, he went to the small room in the back. He found a thin, leather bound book discarded on the floor and stooped to pick it up. He was flipping through the pages but stopped to listen as Walter began talking.

"Last time I was here, Brightwall was buzzing with culture. I remember an acting troop who attracted huge crowds. What was their name?"

"That would be Lambert and Pinch; our greatest thespians. They have been at somewhat of a loss since the academy closed."

Okay, there was someone he could help out. He didn't know anything about acting, but it seemed like a good place to start.

"You know, for a town with a famous academy, I haven't exactly noticed an abundance of brainy people," Walter observed.

"Well, most of the scholars saw little reason to stay once the academy closed," Samuel replied softly.

"I don't know, this beer seems like a pretty good reason…"

Erick smiled as he closed the book. He really wished that Walter would stop drinking so much, but he realized that he was the reason for Walter's worry. He shouldn't have stopped at the sanctuary. He should have just headed straight to Brightwall to let him know he was okay.

_How could I be so selfish?_

"News has reached us of Logan's latest actions in Bowerstone. Terrible business," Samuel said in a dreary voice.

"Yes, count yourselves lucky he doesn't take much interest in Briightwall."

"What did Logan do in Bowerstone?"

They both turned to look as Erick emerged from the back room.

"My prince, I was under the impression that you left," Samuel stated, nervously clenching the loose cloth of his shirt.

"I'm still here," Erick said rather harshly. "What's happening in Bowerstone?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Walter assured him, running his finger over the edge of his beer mug. "Besides, I thought you didn't take interest in politics."

"Well this time I do! Elise lives in… lived… in Brower…" Erick's voice trailed off, his eyes dropping to the ground. "Forget it…" He slammed open the door and stormed outside.

"Erick wait!" Walter started, but he was already out the door. He began to heave himself to his feet, but Samuel laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave him be. This is something he needs to work out on his own."

Erick tromped down the stairs and headed for the blacksmith. Sure enough, Steven was outside working on the anvil.

"Hey Steven," Erick called with a little wave, forcing a smile on his lips.

"Erick! You made it back! Took you a while, I was worried that those bandits tore you to shreds."

"Well my rifle wasn't so lucky." Erick took the scraps from his belt and laid them on the anvil. "It was a gift from my father, do you think you could fix it for me?"

Steven picked up one of the halves. "There's not much left to work with."

"Can you please try? I can pay you for you trouble when I get the money. I don't have much on me at the moment, but you can have all of it until I earn some more."

Steven sighed and looked up at him. "I can't say no when you look at me like that. Fine, I'll give it a shot."

"Thank you. I promise that I will pay you back in full."

"Thank me after I fix it. I'm not even sure that I can. I suppose you'll be needing a new firearm."

"Yeah, but I…"

"Oh quit your yap," Steven interrupted. "Here. You can hold on to this one." He brought out a slender and elegant rifle and handed it to Erick. "This belonged to a assassin named Barry Gusket. Just don't ask what it's made out of."

"What? I can't take this…"

"It's the least I can do after all that you've done for Brightwall. Keep your cash. You need it more than I do."

"Thank you. I'm in your debt."

"Yeah yeah, just try not to break this one."

Erick quickly learned that gathering followers wasn't so simple. He knew one thing for sure, Brightwall was a strange place. He offered to help find a missing play in the academy for Lambert and Pinch, and ended up getting pulled into some alternate dimension. There he met the ghost of Philip Morley who forced him to act out various scenes of his famous plays in order to escape. None of them pleasant. The worst part about it was that when he got out and convinced Morley to give up the book, it was utter rubbish. The missing play was called 'The Ham Sandwich;' a was a chaotic mix of dry humor and dull tragedy that made no sense whatsoever. Lambert and Pitch declared that it was 'ahead of its time' and didn't seem too put out with its failure.

After that, he somehow got roped into gathering up the 'squadrons' of chickens around the village. Not only that, but he also had to wear a chicken suit in order to 'infiltrate' their ranks. As if the villagers didn't think he was strange enough already. The farmer was convinced that they were planing to overtake the town in some sort of violent uprising. Erick of course thought it was utter crap, but he could have sworn that he heard one of them chanting while leading them back to the coop. On the behalf of the chicken libertarian wife, Erick persuaded the farmer to spare the chickens, but he couldn't care less what happened to the feathery food trays.

Now he was listening to a strange little man that went on and on about his collection of gnomes. He had an unhealthy obsession, even going so far as to leave his own family. Now he was asking him to pick up a package for his 'best friend' Jonathan. Apparently it was that gnome's birthday, and his present had been delayed so now Erick had to traipse all over Mistpeak to find it.

"Yeah, I'll check it out," Erick agreed hesitantly.

"Great. Great!" Brian cheered, jumping up and down in excitement. "Now, this package, like I said, is very special. I ordered it from a catalog."

_A cat-a-what?_

"It was very expensive, but this is Jonathan we're talking about."

"Yeah, you'd die for him right?"

"Right. He deserves only the best! Now, according to the catalog, the delivery coach travels through Mistpeak Valley. Maybe they lost a wheel there or something. It's a good place to start looking anyway."

Erick gave a deep sigh, putting his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I'll get right on it." He turned away and headed back to the town center, silently brewing with anger. He was the prince! He should have to do all these stupid errands. All he wanted to do was to go back to the castle and just forget about the whole thing. What did he care if some villagers were paying high taxes. That's what they're supposed to do. They work, and their money goes towards the betterment of the kingdom. That's just how life worked. Erick quickly stopped himself. He was being selfish again. These people had a right to a happy life just as much as he did. Besides, he couldn't go back to the castle. Not after he'd seen what Logan had done to the Dwellers. And to Elise.

Erick was just heading across the bridge when a young lady came running up to him in a panic.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

"Please, you've got to help me. I'm so worried."

"Okay, just calm down and tell me what happened."

"It's my daughter you see. I can't find her. The little scamper's always going off on her own, having adventures and what not. Always comes back after a while though, but this time she's been missing for hours and hours! I'm frantic with worry. It's all her father's fault. He's always going on about how there's gold to be found in the caves in Mistpeak Valley. I bet that's where she's gone. Please find her and bring her home, I beg you!"

"Alright. I'm heading out that way anyway. I'll find your daughter."

"Oh thank you! Thank you so much! Please bring her back as soon as you can!"

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon." Erick took off without another word and ran up the hill towards Mistpeak. He slowed down as he entered a thin forest, utterly lost. Again.

"Caves. Where are the caves? I have no idea where any caves are." He was just going around the bend when he caught sight of a band or Mercenaries. He flattened his back against the rock and peeked around the corner. They hadn't seen him yet.

"_...nothing but that worthless hunk of stone? Lovely that is. We get nothing from this job accept our fee?"_

"_There's no fee. No one hired us for this."_

"_What'd mean? We're bloody mercenaries!"_

"_So what, we can only act when we've been paid? What about free will?"_

"_I'm not saying we're not free to act as we desire."_

"_You're saying our sole motivation, payment in this case, exists outside of us. Which, necessarily, is incompatible with personal freedom. What you're advocating is hard determinism!"_

Well that was unexpected. Coming from a mercenary at least. And it got even more unbelievable when the other one offered his rebuttal.

"_I'm not. I'm simply questioning the efficacy of undertaking significant personal risk, as in performing an armed robbery, when we gain nothing of value."_

"_Well define value! This robbery may constitute little in terms of extrinsic value, but it has given us excitement, on the job training, and life experience. As well as building morale, and esprit de corps! It's intrinsic value is difficult to even quantify!"_

"_Well now you're talking about moral justification. I'm not going to argue teleology versus deontological…"_

"Alright, I've heard enough." Erick said, emerging from his hiding place. "You guys can chat later. I'm going to have to ask you to surrender your cargo."

"Here!" one of them interrupted, jabbing a finger at Erick. "Are we to refrain from defending ourselves until an outside agent has employed us to do so?"

"No. The survival imperative transcends any question of causality. Let's get him!"

"Hold on there, I'm not robbing you," Erick assured them. "I just need that, uh... that thing."

"And what makes you think we're just going to hand it over to you?"

"Its of no value to you, you said so yourself. So just hand it over and we can all go our separate ways. No harm done."

"Or what? I say we just kill you, then take all your gold and this rock. How's that for esprit de corps?"

"Are you sure you want to take the risk of assaulting an armed man? One shot is all it takes. That thing isn't worth your lives, and neither is my wealth. I'm just a wanderer, I don't have much." Erick never thought he'd be discussing philosophy with a couple of mercenaries, especially not for a hunk of stone.

"Not so fast. We worked hard to get this, you can't just wave a gun around and reap all the benefits. This isn't a socialistic society."

"Yeah, why would we give up the chance of mandatory experience and possible profit because you claim that this is your property although you have no evidence of the fact?"

"Are you asking for payment for an item that you stole?" Erick asked.

"Well yeah. Why not?"

"I don't have any money. And my duty as a citizen of Albion dictates that I should rid this land of a couple of thieves and murderers. Don't you dare talk about extrinsic value when you killed two innocent men to get it. That is not yours and I intend to return it to the man that purchased it. Now do you want to try and stop me?"

"Oh, the runt is getting snarky is he? I say we cut him down to size."

"Who do you think you are? You're out numbered and have no right to make demands."

"The name's Erick," he stated pragmatically, drawing his new rifle.

"Not the Erick that defeated Saker?"

"The same."

"Oh wow, then we have a lot to thank you for."

"Wait, what? You're thanking me for beating the crap out of your boss?" Erick asked, lowering his weapon slightly.

"Yeah, didn't you hear? We've really got a good thing going on back home now that Saker's out of the picture. You should check it out when you get the chance. It's changed a lot since you last saw it."

"And it's all thanks to you. You need this thing? Go ahead and take it as a sign of our gratitude."

"Uh, thanks…"

The mercs turned to leave, giving Erick a goodbye wave. "Good luck!"

"Yeah. You too…"

_Why can't anything around here just be normal?_

When they were out of sight he approached the ransacked carriage. "Now for Brian's package. What the crap is this thing?"

It looked like a some demon elf made out of stone. He lifted it to get a better look. It wasn't very heavy, but it was difficult to keep a grip on. It had long ears and a pointy nose. The most disturbing thing was the sharp toothed smile from ear to ear. It looked like a gargoyle, but with tiny arms and no wings. He tucked the sculpture under his arm and headed back up the slope. After a little bit of wandering, he crossed a small bridge and found a cave entrance on top of a high cliff.

He squeezed inside the small gap and headed down the mossy slope. A gust of bitter cold air rushed up to meet him. It felt like he was walking into the mouth of a living creature, but everything was dead, and still. He continued slower, the sound of his footsteps muffled by the moss.

Dry bones covered in large teeth marks were scattered across the thin ledge. He tried to avoid them, but ended up knocking one off the edge. It bounced off the side and disappeared into the mist. If it hit the bottom, he didn't hear it. He was just crossing a stone bridge when he thought he heard the voice of a child.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" He called into the mist.

"Here! Over here! Help me!"

"I'm coming! Just stay put!" He ran to the other side and was about to hop down, but something caught his eye. A silver key sat under a mushroom. He grabbed it, and added it to his small collection. There had to be some reason for all these keys, he just didn't know what.

He slid down and found the girl hiding under a small wooden platform.

"Hey, it's okay I'm here to help."

"There's so many of them, and they're so scary! Please take me back to mummy."

"It's going to be okay, my name is Erick, what's yours?"

"Eve," the little girl told him, tiny hands pulling at her dirty dress.

"Eve? I'm going to get you out of here. Take my hand."

She looked up at him, and hesitantly took his hand.

He couldn't get back up the way he came, so he led Eve on another trail. Hopefully there was another exit. He didn't get very far before a loud howl echoed throughout the cavern.

"Get behind me," he instructed, drawing his rifle. The gargoyle was still tucked under his arm, so he had to aim with one hand. A large white wolf emerged from a den, and Erick aimed at its skull. He hardly had enough time to shoot it when two more wolves came from the other side. He dropped the gargoyle and shot the others.

"Why are you carrying a rock?" Eve asked as he holstered his gun.

"It's a present for one of my friends."

"Your friend likes rocks?"

"I guess so. Come on, let's hurry out of here."

She took his hand again, and they headed up the hill. It didn't take long for him to find the exit and soon they were back outside.

"We made it out of the caves, brilliant!" Eve said happily.

"Yeah, but we're not out of the woods yet. I've never been to this part of Mistpeak." Erick peered though the pine trees, but couldn't see any familiar landmarks.

"I know where we are! I can show you the way!"

"You can? I should go on adventures with you more often," Erick said with a chuckle.

"Yep! You just head down this hill past that rock and across a bridge. Then you'll come to some old ruins and home is right over the hill."

"Okay, sounds like a plan. Let's get going." Erick continued down the hill, frequently readjusting the gargoyle.

They walked in silence until they crossed the bridge. "I spy with my little eye, something starting with… S!"

"Oh, I know this game. Hm, let's see, snow? Stick? How about stone?"

"No," Eve smiled. "Silly," she said, pointing up at him.

"Hm. Never would have guessed that. Maybe strong, or slender."

Eve giggled in delight. "Nope! You're silly."

"Could be worse," Erick decided. When they got to the old ruins Erick stopped and set down the gargoyle. He turned Eve to face him, and looked her in the eye.

"Now I don't want you running off into caves anymore, even if there is gold."

"But I wanna help mummy! If I found some gold then she would be able to get fancy dresses like she used to."

"Your mother will be taken care of okay? I promise. But I want you to stop wandering off. You need to stay home so she doesn't have to worry about you. Deal?"

"Deal!"

"That's a good girl." Erick took her by the hand and continued through the ruins to Brightwall.

"Are we there yet?"

"Just over this hill."

"Are we there yet now?"

"Tell you what, how about you close you eyes, and count to ten. By the time you're done, we'll be home. Just like magic."

"Really? Okay!" Eve closed her eyes and began counting out loud. Erick smiled as they went around the corner. Eve finished counting and opened her eyes. "There's my mum!" She let go of his hand and ran for her mother.

"My darling! My little darling, what a relief! I was beside myself."

Erick stood nearby with a soft smile until she turned to speak with him. "I can't thank you enough, I am forever in your debt."

"It was my pleasure. Anything to help out."

"It means a lot to me. Thank you."

"Bye silly!" Eve waved as he turned to leave.

"Bye Eve. Take good care of your mother."

Erick headed over the bridge, but there seemed to be quite a commotion by the front gate. A large crowd of people were all watching him as he entered, and Samuel was gesturing for him to enter.

"Samuel, what's happening?"

Samuel placed a hand on his back and presented him to the crowd. "Esteemed citizens of Brightwall!" he announced, holding his hands out wide. "Today we demonstrate the generous nature of our fair town. For too long have our mountain neighbors suffered in silence, and now we extend a helping hand. But this effort would not have been possible without the courage and determination of one man. The son of the old hero king Richard Lionheart. From this day we shall know you as the Hero of Brightwall!"

Erick felt like he was going to burst with pride. And embarrassment, but mostly pride. Erick glanced though the crowd in search of Walter, but saw no sign of him. His smile faltered.

"Before you leave, we ask of you one favor."

"Hmm? Yes of course," Erick said quietly, turning to face Samuel.

"As we pledge ourselves to you, so we hope you will pledge to return Brightwall to its former glory and reopen the academy which your father founded."

"I will," Erick stepped forward and shook hands with Samuel.

"Very, very good. Very good," Samuel said gleefully. "I expected nothing less from you. These volunteers shall carry the supplies to the Dweller Camp. They may have them with our blessing." Samuel gestured towards four men carrying large crates. Apparently horses were to mainstream.

"I hope you will return one day not just as our hero, but as our king!"

_You and me both._

The people began cheering, some of them even tossing their hats into the air. Erick threw his hand up and gave a triumphant wave. It felt good. Not the attention and the fanfare necessarily, but helping people. It was the kind of thing that Elise used to do, although she did it much better then he ever could. Elise should be the one receiving the praise, not him. Her whole life was devoted to serving others, but the world was oblivious to her existence.

* * *

**Just a quick reminder that this story is still in the making, so some chapters may seem a bit out of place or the pacing will be off. I'm not worrying too much about that at the moment because it will be easier to sort everything out when the whole thing is completed. Once I get it all on paper, I will go through and shorten or lengthen (perhaps even remove) chapters as needed. If there is a certain event that you think should be elaborated on, then let me know and I will get around to editing it. (Same thing for a event that you think is unnecessary.) If I have enough people suggesting the same revisal, then I will change it.**

**I have been going back and adding little things here and there in the earlier chapters but I haven't updated them yet. I may wait to do so until I get further in the story, but I can be convinced to fix them sooner. ; )**


	8. Chapter 8: Kicking Hobbes

**I've been super excited to post this chapter and I think that you guys will like it. It's not my most refined work because I had to sort of rush through it, but like all my chapters I will go back and give them that artistic feel later. For now I just need to get the story on paper before I loose my incentive. **

**So yeah, enjoy! (I know I sure did ^~^)**

* * *

Erick stood before a large crowd, but this time he was in the Dweller Camp. He was wearing the traditional Dweller coat, the shirt and sash dyed a royal blue for the special occasion. He decided to keep his cap off, displaying his ruffled blue hair. He held the circular music box in both hands as he approached Sabine. Walter and Boulder stood on either side, watching him closely.

"Our Hero returns!" Sabine proclaimed heartily. "Bringing good tidings! Ha, and supper."

Erick couldn't help but smile at the old man's enthusiasm. He extended the music box to him, then recoiled slightly. He suddenly felt attached to it and didn't want to give it up. It was one of the few things he had left of his father. He noticed Walter giving him a strange look and he promptly offered it to Sabine again.

"Dumb thing doesn't open. How do you… Hm. Oh well, I didn't think you'd actually get it, to tell you the truth."

Erick's jaw dropped in vexation and unbelief, but he hastily clamped his teeth together.

"Boulder," Sabine said, handing the music box to his enormous body guard. "We've been blessed my friends. We have made an alliance that has already brought us life. One day, it will bring us much more."

Everyone was so cheerful. Walter sighed in contentment, his hands resting on his belt, Sam playfully scratched at Boulder's feet and Sabine looked up at the crowd with a broad smile, but Erick just couldn't take his eyes off the music box.

He detached his gaze as Sabine addressed him directly again. "We require but one more offering before we fight at your side. Ach, Boulder."

Boulder stopped teasing Sam and held the music box closer, as if Sabine was going to take it away. When Sabine looked away he brought it up to his ear and shook it gently.

"Promise to restore these mountains to their full glory and to protect our right to dwell in them, and promise that you will bring nothing but the fiercest justice upon Logan's head!"

"I promise!" Erick stated boldly. He didn't need Sabine to tell him that, he was already planing on making Logan pay dearly for his crimes.

"Then may we be carried into the castle by the dark storms of fury!" Sabine shouted dramatically, gesturing towards Browerstone.

"You'll have to wait a little longer for that," Walter interrupted. "It's still just us against a whole army. We need to recruit more people."

"I was afraid you'd come over all logical and sensible," Sabine huffed in disappointment. "Well you have brought us a feast, and we are free to hunt again. We'll just keep on eating and drinking until you're good and ready," he said with a wink. "Right Boulder?"

Boulder gave a satisfied grunt, patting Sam's head softly.

"Heh, he couldn't be happier."

Walter placed his hand on Erick's shoulder as he headed for the gate. The crowd parted for them with a multitude of cheers and praises. Erick sneaked a quick glance back at the music box before turning away.

"I couldn't be prouder of what you've accomplished here," Walter told him as they walked though the town. Erick was ecstatic at Walter's praise, but he was having a hard time concentrating with the Dweller's cheers. "But there is still much for us to do and I know just where to find our next allies. I'll meet you at the station in Mistpeak when you're ready."

"Hm? Uh, yeah. I'll meet you there," Erick said distractedly, looking at a young woman tinkering with a strange package.

"The revolution is just getting started!" Walter proclaimed.

"Mm hmm…" Erick quickly left Walter and went over to the young lady. "What's that?" he asked gently, not being able to think of another conversation starter.

"I'm not sure really," she admitted, tucking a stray strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear. Her voice was so soft, but firm. It was mesmerizing really. "It's amazing what you can find when you're digging up you back garden isn't it? Giant bones, portals to other dimensions, broken bottles…"

"Wait, what?"

"I'm sure my cousin Saul wold know what it is," she said quickly. "He works over at Brightwall academy you see. Very bright fellow. You wouldn't mind taking it to him would you? I'd do it myself, but all that digging has done my back in."

"Yeah, of course," Erick said without hesitation. Brightwall wasn't really on the way, and he didn't have any other reason to go there, but perhaps he could make an exception.

"Wonderful! How kind you are, here it is." She put the package in his hands and Erick gave her a light smile before turning away.

He started wandering around the town and ended up joining in on the celebrations. He was just talking with a group of Dwellers around a roaring fire when the color began dissolving, the frozen flame now various shades of dull grey.

Erick heaved a sigh and twisted around. Oh course, there was the all too familiar portal. "Pardon me, I've got to take this," Erick said, to the immobile men. "Oh no, don't get up. I'll be back before you know it." He dusted the snow off his pants and went into the portal.

When his eyes adjusted to the bright light he saw Theresa standing before him.

_Why is she looking at me like that? Do I have something in my hair?_

Erick shook his head vigorously, confetti falling like snowflakes.

"You clearly have kept yourself busy," Theresa said disdainfully.

"Yeah, it's kind of a bad time Theresa, couldn't you have waited a few more hours?"

"Sorry for the inconvenience. Last I checked you're leading a rebellion, not starting a fan club."

Erick frowned slightly, pulling a thin streamer out of his hair.

"You have made an important ally today. The revolution cannot hope to succeed without fighters such as Sabine and his people on your side. You have the beginnings of an army now."

"So what now? Who else is going to be crazy enough to join me?"

"I believe your mentor has that figured out, so I suggest that you go speak to him instead," Theresa stated, immediately vanishing thereafter.

"Oh right. He did say something about that didn't he?" Erick passed the transparent images of his followers; Sabine, Boulder, and Samuel now added along with random villagers he had come in contact with. He went though the gate then gathered up the combat books and the new gauntlet left by his father, and passed into the next portal. This time he went straight to the sanctuary, depositing the books on the floor.

Jasper emerged from the back room as he took off his shirt and jacket. "Ah hel– uh, sir? Is that a tattoo?"

"What? Oh yeah, I got it in Dweller Camp. Cool isn't it?" Erick asked, running his fingers over the thin bands.

"Um, if you say so. Just, remind me not to let you go to any more celebrations."

"Oh it is a blast! You should have been there! Did you know that there's a hot spring? Here, look what I found." Erick stepped over the books and fished in his pocket.

"That appears to be a wedding ring sir."

"Yeah! I couldn't find the owner, so I just kept it," Erick said with a pleased hum.

"You're not intoxicated are you?" Jasper asked, leaning down to pick up the stack of books from the floor.

"No! Of course not! At least, I don't think so. Does grape juice count?"

"How old was it."

Erick sat on the map table and tapped his chin. "Not sure really, but these are the Dwellers we're talking about, so maybe…"

"Then yes."

Erick gave his butler a confused glance, but left it at that. "Oh, I think Walter is waiting for me at uh…"

"The monorail station," Jasper finished.

"Right. Uh, where is that?"

"On the other side of Mistpeak."

Erick nodded, seemingly in deep thought. "He's been there for a while hasn't he?"

"Yes sir."

"I think I'm just going to teleport there, do you mind if I use this?"

"That's what it's here for. But you probably should stand up befor–"

The sanctuary disappeared as did the table, dumping him face first on a cobblestone road. "Thanks for the advice Jasper. Wish I had it five seconds earlier," he groaned as he pried himself from the ground. He turned around to see a middle-aged man in a bright red coat staring at him.

"What?" Erick asked timidly.

The man's mouth opened and closed soundlessly, his hand raising shakily.

Erick slipped by the paralyzed man and entered the station. It wasn't so much a station, then a glorified pit. A sturdy wooden walkway led to a large platform where villagers sat on benches. Walter was waiting for him on a observation platform at the other side.

Erick walked past the people gathered on the deck, their stares making him wish he wore his cap.

Walter stood as he saw Erick coming up the stairs. "I can never get over this place. Twenty years ago it was just a damp murky void in the middle of nowhere, now people queue up to get dangled across it in a steel box."

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Erick asked as Walter led him over to the edge.

"Speed is of the essence. This is quicker then going through Millfields, and here it comes."

Erick looked over the expanse as a large contraption came through the mist, thick clouds of smoke spewing from a large exhaust pipe. Walter wasn't joking when he used the word 'dangling.' Metal arms clung to huge gears that propelled it along a thin track bolted to the ceiling. Erick was never afraid of heights, but he wasn't too keen on boarding that thing.

"Most of the people here will be heading straight to Bowerstone, but we're going to be taking a little detour first. I just hope–" Walter stopped as a loud screeching filled the cavern.

"Is that normal?" Erick asked, squinting his eyes to get a better look at the monorail.

"Something's wrong."

The monorail came to a sudden stop and began hissing loudly. There was a large explosion, destroying one of the metal arms.

"_It's about to fall!"_

"_Somebody do something!"_

Erick stepped back as there was another explosion, knocking it clear off the rails.

"No!" Walter cried out as the whole thing dropped into the abyss. It took about five seconds before it hit the ground far below. Walter instantly turned around and ran for the stairs, but Erick stayed put. He inched closer to the edge, trying to see how far down it was.

"Come on, we have to get down there!"

Erick spun back around and followed Walter. By the time he caught up to him he was already at the gate leading to the shaft.

"This must be the way down. We have to find those people; see if there's any survivors."

"Yeah, but the gate's locked, how are you going to–"

Walter drew his sword and jammed it between the frame. He pulled against it with all his weight, prying the gate askew. He gave it one final tug, bending the metal and sending it flying open.

"Oh, that works…" Erick said.

Walter gave a bragging smile and went through. Erick was about to follow when someone suddenly rammed into his shoulder.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Erick snapped.

The man turned around with a tempting smirk. "Where do you think? I'm going to help those people."

"I got this covered," Erick replied, somewhat upset with his snarky attitude. "I don't need you getting in the way."

"Well too bad. I'm coming along whether you like it or not."

Erick glared at him more in confusion then anger. Who in the world was this guy?

"Erick! Let's go!" Walter called.

"Fine. Just don't get in the way," Erick said, moving past him. Walter was waiting for him by a maintenance lift.

"Looks like the only way. Alright, I can do this," Walter said under his breath. He exhaled slowly and stepped inside, Erick quickly following. "Who's this?" he asked Erick, pointing to the man.

"This is… Uh, who are you?"

"Name's Jake. Can introductions wait till later? I think we have more important things to worry about.

"Right. Let's get down," Walter said, his eye still on Jake. "I don't want to spend anymore time in this box then I have to."

Erick pulled the lever, closing the gate and starting their decent. He glanced over at Jake, looking him up and down. He was fairly tall. Not so much to really stand out, but taller than Erick, which irked him slightly. He wore what looked like a soldier's jacket, and black pants tucked into high boots. All his clothes were very clean and looked like they had been ironed recently. He wasn't a wanderer, that was certain. Although, he did have a well worn sword and a large pistol.

Jake noticed his inspection, but Erick didn't look away. His lips twitched upwards into a confident grin and his eyebrows lowered knowingly before he turned away.

There didn't seem to be anything special about this guy. He was older. Thirty perhaps? His hair was a deep brown with lighter streaks and looked like it had been cut recently. He didn't have any visible tattoos or other means of identification. Was he a deserter? If so, it was strange that he would offer to help. Whatever the case, Erick didn't trust him.

The lift jerked to a stop, and Erick almost lost his balance. Jake, on the other hand, gracefully bent his knees and absorbed the shock. Walter was the first to exit but Erick went after Jake, slowly tailing him.

"It fell somewhere up ahead, come on!" Walter urged him.

Erick jogged to catch up, but slowed as he heard what sounded like a maniacal laugh. "What was that?"

"I'd know those sounds anywhere," Walter said. "Maybe the monorail falling wasn't an accident after all!"

Jake drew his sword and ran ahead.

"Hey! Hold up!" Erick gritted his teeth as Jake continued running. He grabbed his rifle and ran after him. He was just rounding the corner when Jake halted. Erick accidentally smacked into him and they both fell to the ground.

"What was that for?" Jake spat.

"You're the one that stopped!"

"That doesn't give you permission to run over me!" Jake elbowed him in the side and Erick fell off onto his back.

Erick had the urge to trip him, and was about to when what looked like a flaming animal ran in front of him. His eyes widened as he saw a whole group of disgusting, goblin-like creatures clambering over the shattered monorail car. "What the heck is that?" he cried, heaving himself off the ground.

"Hobbes!" Walter said as he came around the bend. "I knew it. Don't leave any of the little buggers alive!"

Erick was still stunned, but Jake instantly began popping off rounds. Erick retrieved his rifle, but by the time he loaded it Jake and Walter had already finished off all the little vermin. He got to his feet in embarrassment, hopping that Walter didn't notice.

"That's it, but there'll be more," Walter said, kicking one of the corpses. "That's something you can count on with Hobbes, there's always more."

"Could you be any more ominous?" Erick asked sarcastically. He took his eyes off the demented creatures and looked up at the monorail. It was cracked in half and engulfed in flames. From what he could tell, there weren't any survivors.

"So much for a rescue mission," Jake said, rapping one of the large gears with his fist.

"Those poor sods, they never stood a chance," Walter said. "I'm not getting into a monorail car for as long as I live, I can tell you that! Let's keep going. There must be a way out through these tunnels."

Jake started to follow, but Erick held out a hand to stop him. "Thanks for the help, but we've got it covered. You can go back up to the surface."

Jake tilted his head slightly. He didn't seem to found of being ordered around by a guy half his size. Even so, Erick held his gaze. "If there's more of those things then I think you could use my help. Besides, you're heading to Browerstone right? We might as well stick together."

"Why do you want to come?" Erick asked. "You'll be better off heading back to the surface and hitching a ride with a caravan or something."

"Like I said, I wanna help," Jake answered, his voice losing its playful tone.

Erick glanced over at Walter. "Let him come. We could always use another trigger finger and I think he's earned his keep."

"Fine."

"Fine," Jake repeated reprovingly.

_This is going to be a long trip..._

Erick quickly walked past him, catching up to Walter. "We're not heading straight to Browerstone right?" he asked quietly. "So where _are_ we going?"

"To find some old friends," he answered cryptically. "Let's just say that I wouldn't want to go into any battle without them on my side."

"Hold up," Erick said suddenly. "There's more up ahead." Jake started to draw his gun, but Erick held out his hand to stop him. "I got these ones." He dropped to one knee, and aimed for the gunpowder barrel behind them. He shot it dead center and the canister exploded with a sharp crack, sending a couple of Hobbes flying. He finished off the rest before they even knew what was happening.

"Clear," Erick announced playfully, holstering his gun.

"Well done," Walter said with a smile. "Looks like you inherited some of your father's skill."

Jake just rolled his eyes as they continued on. "Show off," he whispered under his breath.

"Says you."

"Hey, I was just doing my job."

"So was I," Erick replied taking the lead. "If you don't like it then you can turn back around. No one asked you to–"

The air was knocked out of his lungs as a bullet lodged in his back. Everything went black as he collapsed to the ground. There was another shot, then all was quiet. He gasped for air, his vision still dark.

Erick tried to raise himself off the ground, but two firm hands held him down.

"Easy there sport," a tantalizing voice whispered. "You don't want to hurt yourself now."

Erick's sight began to clear and he saw Jake leaning over him. Walter was no where to be seen. He tried to spew curses, but only blood passed his lips.

"I'd do as he says. You're only making it worse." Relief flooded over him as he saw Walter crouch down beside him.

"Wha–what happened?" he managed to cough out.

"You missed one genius," Jake replied. "You're buddy Walter here pegged it."

"Thanks."

"Stop talking," Walter demanded, inspecting his wound. "You're lucky the bullet went straight through."

"Thank Walter, but I don't think luck is on my side," Erick said as he started to sit up.

"Hold on!" Jake said, gently pushing him back down. "I was serious about the whole not moving thing."

"No, I'm okay," Erick insisted. "Look, it's almost healed."

Jake looked at him in bewilderment, then wiped the blood off his chest where the hole used to be. "What are you?"

"I ask myself that every day."

Walter chuckled and patted Erick on the shoulder. "That's bloody marvelous!" He reached down and helped him to his feet.

"More like impossible," Jake muttered softly, watching him in astonishment.

Erick shrugged and continued on, this time Walter followed him close behind while Jake took the rear.

Two Hobbes wearing leather armor came tottering around the corner with blubbering war cries. Jake and Walter raised their pistols while Erick drew his sword.

Erick hit the first one hard enough to knock it into the air and Walter shot it while it was airborne.

"Oho, it's gone to Hobbe heaven," Walter stated lightheartedly.

Erick looked around to find the other Hobbe, but Jake had already killed it. He had one foot on top of the dead beast and his hands on his hips as he gave a broad smile.

"Took you guys long enough," he said.

"Congratulations. You killed a brainless goblin half your size, and all by yourself too. Bravo." Erick retorted, clapping slowly.

"At least I didn't need help from my daddy."

"Ya know what!" Erick started for Jake, but Walter placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's save the chat for later. The sooner we get out of here the better."

Erick glared at Jake, but continued on. He hardly went ten feet when the barrels around him shattered, Hobbes leaping out of them. Erick reflexively slammed his hands to the ground, lightning surrounding him in waves. Jake leapt back as the bolts of electricity paralyzed the surrounding Hobbes.

"Oh bloody hell! Almost gave me a heart attack," Walter said.

"The Hobbes or sparky over there?" Jake asked, jabbing a finger at Erick.

The lightning faded away, and the Hobbes all converged on Erick, completely ignoring the others. "Uh, guys? A little help here?" He slashed at one then instantly had to leap away from another.

Walter shot off a few rounds, but Jake sat there with an amused smile. "Just keep flopping around, you're a good distraction."

"Just shut up and help me!"

Jake shrugged and joined in. A Hobbe leapt at Walter, but Jake snatched it out of the air and ran his blade through its head.

Erick used his gauntlet again, but this time Jake got caught in the crossfire. His whole body went rigid, and his sword fell from his hand. The Hobbes noticed, and two charged.

Erick rolled across the ground and snatched up Jake's sword and stabbed a Hobbe in the chest. The other leapt at him and he fell onto his back, launching it over his head into the crates. While it was dazed, Sam ran forward and snapped its neck.

Erick leapt to his feet and looked around for something to fight, but Walter had killed the rest. He sheathed his sword and reached down to pet Sam.

"Good girl Sam. Elise was wrong about one thing; you really can handle yourself in a fight."

"Your dog's name is Sam? And it's a girl?" Jake asked skeptically as he retrieved his sword.

"Short for Samantha. Is yours short for Jaclyn?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Jake huffed, his smug smile disappearing. He turned and followed Walter as he continued down the trail. Erick saw a metal door around the corner and went to check it out, but it was locked. He stuck his sword between the door and the frame and tried to pry it open like Walter did, but to no avail.

"Hey short-stuff, you coming?" Jake called.

"Who got your panties in a wad?" Erick hissed under his breath, removing his sword and running to catch up with them.

He caught up as they were rounding a corner and fell into step behind Jake, watching him out of the corner of his eye. "Where'd you learn to use magic like that?" Jake asked after a few moments. "I've never seen anything like that."

"I didn't really. It just comes naturally I guess. Well sorta."

"Sorta?"

"Yeah. I use a gauntlet." Erick held his right hand out to Jake so he could see it.

"Where did you get this?" Jake brushed his fingers over the crystal in the center.

"It doesn't matter." Erick closed his hand and dropped his arm.

"You don't have to get all defensive. I'm just trying to start a conversation."

"You should be keeping your eyes out for Hobbes."

"I can't chat at the same time?" Erick stayed quiet, his head turned away. "Come on. Tell me about yourself," Jake prodded.

"You first."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

Erick glanced over at him. He had a lot of questions, it was difficult to figure out where to begin. "Where'd you get that jacket? You a deserter? Kill a soldier?"

"It's nice to know that you see the best in people." Jake looked at him and stayed quiet for a few moments, then gave a deep sigh. "It was my father's. I never joined the army."

"What were you doing in Mistpeak?"

"Working a job. I'm a hunter. A bounty hunter."

Bounty hunter? Was he there to capture him and Walter? They were now considered criminals after all. Logan must have put an ample price on their heads.

"What's your business in Brownstone?"

"Alright, I think you've asked enough questions," Jake interrupted. "Now it's my turn."

Was he avoiding the question? Nevertheless, he figured that he'd asked Jake enough for now. "Fine."

"Fine. What kind of adventurer are you?"

"What makes you think I'm an adventurer?"

"Why else would you dye your hair like that?"

"I didn't dye it!" Erick snapped back.

"Right, and I was born with boots on."

Erick found himself glowering at Jake. Did this guy ever stop talking? "If you don't believe my answers, then stop asking questions."

"Almost done. Who are you really?"

"Erick of Brightwall."

"Let me rephrase my question. Tell me exactly who you are." Jake stopped and looked him in the eye, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Any man would have died from that wound. I've been all over Albion and in all my days I've seen neither man nor beast heal like that. So tell me, _what_ are you?"

Erick dropped his eyes to the ground, breaking eye contact with him. "I can't tell you that."

"Then how do you expect me to trust you?"

"I never asked you to. Once we get out of here, we can go our separate ways and you can forget you've ever met me." Erick began walking away, but Jake pulled him back.

"Alright, just stop. Please, just tell me who you are. I've earned that."

Erick hung his head low, his voice soft and breathy. "I am the prince of Albion. Son of Richard Lionheart and incidentally, brother of king Logan."

Jake breathed out softly before replying. "I didn't know the king had a brother."

"Most people don't…"

"So then you're a Hero," Jake said as he playfully smacked him on the arm. "Like your father."

"It doesn't bother you that I'm the brother of a tyrant?"

"No. Why would it? It's not your fault that you're related to a psychopath. Which you aren't. Um, as far as I know..."

"I think you two should see this," a voice boomed from up ahead.

"Be there in a sec!" Erick called back.

"Then Walter, is he your body guard?" Jake asked quietly as the went up the hill to where he was waiting.

"Close enough."

"I wondered why none of the buggers had charged at us for a while," Walter said as they approached. Erick looked over to the other side of the chasm where Hobbes were posted on a small wooden platform. "They've been waiting to pick us off from a distance. Surprisingly clever."

"So what's the plan?" Erick asked.

"Well, we can have a shoot out here or give them a taste of their own smart medicine and flank them. It's up to you."

Erick scooted closer to the edge, hiding behind a boulder. "They're using scattershot rifles. Effective only at a close range so we have a better chance attacking from here."

"How can you tell?" Jake asked.

"My father was kind of a gun enthusiast. He taught me a few things. You guys just stay back here, I'll take care of this."

"Shooting them from a distance is a good idea," Walter said, stroking his beard. "That way you don't get the smell."

Erick crouched down low and targeted a Hobbe on top of the battlement. He shot it right in the head, sending it flying back into a group of gunpowder barrels. They exploded, sending the rest of the Hobbes into a panicked frenzy. He killed them as they were running, not a single shot wasted.

"Bloody brilliant! It's a gonner. That's the last of them," Walter said, patting him on the shoulder. "You really take after your father."

Erick shyly smiled as he got to his feet. "Shall we continue?"

"Don't mind if we do." Walter fell into step behind Jake and Erick as the walked the winding road. Rickety wooden structures hung precariously on the caves walls, held together with frayed rope.

"Well look at that, they've built themselves a little castle," Walter commented. "How adorable."

"If you can call it a castle," Erick said as he peeked around the corner. "Looks like a pile of boards to me. Okay, it's clear."

"Like I'm gonna believe you," Jake said, pushing his head out of the way. "Okay, all clear!"

"Told ya so." Erick shoved past him and headed for the fort.

Walter followed behind with a pleased smile. "Keep your guard up. They may try to ambush us."

Sure enough, as soon as they entered, Hobbes leapt out of the barrels. The goblins surrounded them with jeering growls. The three of them moved into a defensive position. The Hobbes darted forward to strike, but hopped back before they could counter attack.

"Is it just me, or are they getting smarter?" Erick asked, blocking a Hobbe from slicing his knees.

"They are sending out the big guns now." Jake lashed out at a Hobbe, but it backed out of reach.

Walter suddenly slammed into Erick's back, making him topple forward. He pulled back an instant before a mace collided with his face.

"You'll pay for that you sods!"

"Are you alright Walter?" Erick asked over his shoulder.

"I'm okay, but this bugger won't be." Walter jabbed his pistol at the Hobbe and pantomimed silting its throat. "Time to fill these sacks of guts with lead."

Jake and Erick grabbed their guns and began firing. The Hobbes would dart out of the way and hack at their exposed shins. There were so many that it was hard to keep them all back. If only they would stop moving.

Erick put his rifle away and began drawing power from both hands into his gauntlet. A Hobbe sliced at his kneecaps, but he managed to stay standing.

"Erick, what are you doing?" Jake called over his shoulder.

"Get down!"

Walter and Jake dropped to their knees as Erick threw his hands out wide. Huge bolts of lighting arced down from his hands and struck the surrounding Hobbes. Their guttural screeches filled the cavern as smoke rose from their mouths. They fell to the ground, nothing but charred husks.

"Aha! Wonderful stuff," Walter said, nudging a corpse that was still sparking.

"That works," Jake said. "Why didn't you do that sooner? Erick?" He turned around to see him bent over and breathing heavily.

"It… It's not as easy… as it looks," Erick sputtered between gasps.

"You alright?" Walter asked.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine." Erick forced himself to stand.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Just a little dizzy," Erick replied, looking up at him.

"Maybe it's best if you save that for a last resort." Walter had that concerned look on his face again. It made him feel young, and weak.

"I'm fine. Really. You don't have to worry about me."

Walter paused for a moment before nodding. They continued through the little 'castle,' passing makeshift tables and what looked like a shrine to a teddy bear. They passed the lookout point where the Hobbes had tried to ambush them and entered into some wide caves. There weren't any more structures, but a few torches were placed along the side of the trail.

Erick hesitated as they came to a still river. He peeked around the corner to see if there was another way, but he couldn't see one.

"Is something wrong?" Jake asked.

"Uh, no."

"Then get a move on!" Jake said as he brushed past him.

Erick still stayed behind. "I can take the rear if you want," he told Walter.

"I've got it, you go on ahead."

_Not what I was hoping for..._

Erick stepped into the river, the rank water quickly soaking into his boots. The water didn't come up any higher than his calves, but it was still uncomfortable.

"Uh, guys? You should see this."

Erick caught up with Jake and saw three large Hobbes standing in the middle of the path. The white one in the center was holding up a large staff that created some sort of forcefield.

"That sod's blocking our way," Walter said, walking past Jake. "You two will have to get behind it somehow. In a cave like this there has to be some other way of getting there." He stepped right up close to the shield. "You think you're so smart, standing behind your fancy magic don't you? Yeah that's right I'm talking to you!"

"Come on," Jake urged, guiding Erick towards a small trail as Walter distracted the Hobbes. The trail quickly ended, submerged in water. It was so deep that he couldn't see the bottom.

"Why don't you go ahead. I'm gonna stay back here and help Walter." Erick started to turn away but Jake grabbed his shoulder.

"Come on you scaredy-cat, you afraid of getting wet?"

"I– I can't swim."

"Really?" Jake asked in unbelief.

"There weren't really any large bodies of water where I grew up."

"That's right, you're a castle rat."

"A what?"

"Now's a good time to learn." Jake shoved him forward, pitching him into the water. He hastily sucked in a breath of air, but he could still touch the bottom, the water only coming up to his waist.

Jake smiled as he casually walked into the deeper water. He floated on his back as he slowly moved down stream. "Come on. It's not that hard. Just do what I do."

Erick glared at him, flicking the droplets of water off his arms. "I really hate you."

"I hate you too," Jake beamed. "Now get your butt over here. Just keep your legs moving and it should keep your head out of the water."

Erick sighed, and took the rifle off his back.

"You don't have to worry about your gun, it will be fine. You'll just have to replace the gunpowder."

"It's a rental."

"Then let me hold it," Jake said as he swam closer. "It'll be hard enough for you to just keep afloat."

"I'm not handing you my gun," Erick stated, drawing back.

"Come on, what do you think I'm going to do with it? Sell it to the Hobbes perhaps?"

Erick reluctantly relinquished it. "Be careful."

"No worries, I'm a good swimmer." Jake clamped it between his teeth and sank into the water like a crocodile.

Erick slowly followed, trying his best to imitate Jake's alternating stroke. He spent most of his energy frantically kicking his feet and made little progress. When he got to the other side, Jake was waiting for him.

"That thing tastes like dirt," Jake said, handing back his rifle.

"You weren't supposed to lick it." Erick snatched it back and continued up the slope. "It's made out of human bones just so you know."

Jake's eyes went wide, then he started spitting frantically into the water. "I am never touching that thing again!"

"Fine by me," Erick said with a mischievous smile. "They're right up ahead," he whispered. He steadied his rifle as he aimed at the white Hobbe. Right as he shot, another Hobbe walked right in front of it, taking the bullet instead.

"Curses!" Erick drew back, but Jake charged.

"I'll distract them! Get that white one!"

Erick set up again and tried to focus at the Hobbe through the chaos. When he finally got a shot in, it only stunned the Hobbe, but it was just enough to make him drop the shield and let Walter through. Erick stayed back while Walter and Jake fought them off.

He froze as bones rattled behind him. He slowly twisted around to see three Hobbe skeletons with glowing green eyes.

_Hollow Hobbes? That's a little strange..._

Erick took his rifle from the support and twisted to aim it towards the Hollows, but one leapt on top of him, making him loose grip on the gun. It snapped at his face as he tried to pry it off. He kicked another away before it grabbed his feet but the third one hit him in the ribs with a large hammer.

"Erick!" Jake called out in concern.

"Get the summoner!" Erick clamped the Hobbe's head between his hands, running electricity through its skull. It didn't hurt it any, but at least it kept it still. Bony fingers wrapped around his arm and pulled his hand away, breaking the circuit. He lost his grip on the Hobbe but just when it was about to sink its teeth into his shoulder, it shattered apart, bones clattering to the ground.

Erick hastily scrambled to his feet, brushing the bone dust off. Jake glanced over at him as he pulled his sword out of the white Hobbe's corpse.

"You good?" Jake asked.

"It was awful! Even when they're dead they still have bad breath."

"That was strange. I've never seen a Hobbe summon dead ones before," Jake said. "What do call those things?"

"Hollow Hobbes?" Erick suggested tentatively.

"Hmm. That could work."

"Smart enough to use magic, but not smart enough to wear their pants the right way round. Try explaining that," Walter added.

Sam barked as bats came flying through a large tunnel. Erick glanced the direction the bats came. The hard packed ground slopped gently upwards, a soft blue light filtering through the opening at the other end.

"I guess that is the way out?" Erick asked.

"Looks like it."

They didn't have to go far before the tunnel merged into a ginormous cavern. A gap in the ceiling shone daylight upon ancient ruins, weathered and broken by time.

"Now this...this I wasn't expecting," Walter said as he walked to the edge. "There must have been a whole city down here once."

"Is this from the Old Kingdom?" Erick asked him.

"You don't think the Hobbes built it do you? Ha ha. Not with those stubby fingers." Walter looked around for a few moments before speaking again. "There must be a way out through here anyway."

They went down the trail and walked across a wooden platform to the ruins. The bridge to the left was shattered, leaving only one way to go. It was so tranquil in the cavern. So much so that he didn't want to disturb it. Not even the screech of bats or the drip of water. He had a bad feeling, like they were being watched, but there was nothing in sight.

Jake and Erick fell into step as they walked under a huge arch.

"Have you noticed how quiet it all is here?" Walter said. "Almost like…"

They stopped as three summoner Hobbes teleported in front of them. They held up their staffs and a clear shield appeared in the archway between them and Walter. Small Hobbes stood on the high walls of the circular arena, laughing and pounding on large drums.

"Yep, almost like that was about to happen," Walter sighed.

"I really wish you said something sooner," Erick answered as he drew his sword.

"What do we do?" Erick asked Walter, but Jake was the one that answered.

"They want a fight? Let's give them one."

"Go get 'em boys," Walter told them with a smile.

The summoners raised their staffs high, bringing Hollow Hobbes up from the ground and simultaneously forming a shield around themselves.

Jake and Erick glanced at each other.

"You ready?" Jake asked with a smirk.

"Let's do this."

They both charged as the Hobbes began to converge. These ones were large and heavily armored. Jake stabbed his sword in-between the joints of the armor and popped off their limbs. Erick preferred to just behead them.

"Good! Keep hacking away at them and we can get out of here," Walter encouraged.

"Erick, see if you can get past that barrier. I'll keep these guys back."

"You ready?"

"Go!"

Erick ran for the barrier while Jake held the Hollows back and sliced it with his sword. It ricocheted and almost knocked the sword out of his hand. He tried shooting through the shield, but the same thing happened. Jake flinched as the bullet whizzed past his ear.

"Watch it!" Jake growled.

"Then why don't you try getting though it?"

"Just ignore it for now. We need to deal with these things first."

Erick went back to attacking the Hollows amidst encouragement from Walter and the herd quickly began to thin out. It wasn't long before Jake finished off the last one.

"There we go. That wasn't so bad," Jake said with a casual toss of his bangs.

No sooner had he said that then a whole new batch sprung from the ground, just as many as there were before.

"Are you kidding me?" Jake yelled in unbelief.

"How long do we have to fight these things?"

"I don't know, but I'm getting really sick of them."

"If it's like Hollow Men, then they should stop coming after you kill enough of them," Erick suggested.

"Yeah, let's try that." He didn't sound very confident.

The Hollows surrounded them and they naturally slipped into a back-to-back stance. They weren't very difficult to kill, but the sheer number of them made it a challenge. Every one they killed was replaced by two more. Whenever it looked like they might be gaining the upper hand the summoners would just raise their staffs and double their numbers.

"Okay...not like...Hollow Men," Jake panted. "They just keep coming!"

Erick quickly scanned the arena. The walls were high and smooth, no bricks to climb or gaps to squeeze through, so escaping wasn't an option. The only other thing to do was kill the summoners. The shield pulsated with thin blue rings but they only seemed to go only as high as his shoulders. If only there was some way he could get over it.

"Jake! I have an idea! How high do you think you can throw me?"

"What?" Jake stopped fighting for a moment to look back at him, his thin eyebrows lowered in confusion.

"I need you to get me over the top of the barrier."

"Ah ha! I get ya." Jake backed up to the barrier while Erick held back the Hollows. "Ready!"

Erick instantly spun around and put his foot on Jake's interlaced hands. He pushed off the ground as Jake heaved upwards, sending him arcing over the shield. Sparks of lightning surrounded him as he rotated mid air. When his foot touched the ground he used the momentum to sweep his sword in a full circle, sending the Hobbes flying apart like a firecracker. The shield now gone, they were free to attack the Hobbes at will.

Jake darted for one, and it threw its hands up in fright and ran. Instead of pursuing, he just fired four shots into its back and it crumpled to the ground, then continued to pick off the remaining Hollows.

Erick went for another, but every time he swung his sword it would leap back out of range. He tried jabbing instead, but it rolled out of the way. Just as he had it backed into a wall, a searing white orb struck him from behind.

Erick turned around to see the other Hobbe swirling his staff, summoning another magic orb. It launched the ball just as the one behind him raised its staff to strike. Erick waited until the last moment to dive out of the way. The orb flew over his head and smacked the other, killing it instantly.

Jake snuck up behind it and was just about to strike when he stepped on a bone, making a loud crack. The Hobbe whipped around and slammed the end of its staff into his stomach. His mouth opened as if to scream, but no sound came out. The next moment he was falling to the ground.

"No!" Before Erick could even process what happened, he was bolting towards Jake. The Hobbe laughed as it turned around to face him. It raised its staff high to block Erick's attack, but his sword drive straight through it and logged in its shoulder.

Erick shouted in fury as he ripped his sword out and raised it for another strike. The Hobbe turned around and started to run but Erick seized its ear and kicked it to the ground. It let out an inhuman wail as Erick drove his sword down into its chest, splattering his face and chest in blood. It looked up at him with pleading eyes, its stubby arms quivering, but Erick pushed the blade in further until it went through its spine.

Erick stood over it, still fuming with anger and twisted the blade savagely in its corpse. He suddenly felt disoriented and drained. It felt like after his fight with Saker, but not as intense. Erick breathed out shakily and drew his sword out of the body.

"Jake?" he asked after a few moments. He turned around and bent down to help him, but he was already getting to his feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It hurt like a kick from a mule, but I think I'm okay," Jake said as he straightened his clothes.

"Good," Erick said distractedly.

"What about you?"

"What? I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look a little distant." Jake leaned down slightly, trying to catch his eye.

"You're getting better at this magic malarky aren't you? You sure showed those little critters who's boss," Walter congratulated as he came through the archway, the barrier now gone.

Erick looked away from Jake and gave Walter a small smile.

"Doesn't matter, we're still trapped in here," Jake so bluntly pointed out.

They all turned to look at the lonesome Hobbe that still stood diligently behind the impenetrable barrier.

"Hmm. I don't think you're going to find a way round this time," Walter said. "But, I have some magic of my own."

"Really Walter?" Erick asked as he approached the shield.

"Oh, I wanna see this." Jake folded his arms and waited beside Erick.

"Watch and learn." Walter stood up straight and planted his hands on his hips as he inhaled a deep breath. He suddenly hunched forward and shouted "boo!"

The Hobbe leapt back in fear, then dropped its staff as it clutched its chest. It did a dainty little spin, then fell to the ground dead.

Erick gently chuckled into his closed fist but Jake tipped his head back and laughed heartily.

"Oh. It worked," Walter said in genuine surprise.

"Sorry Erick, but I think your old man wins the magic competition."

"He's got my vote."

"Right, let's get out of here shall we?" Walter said, gesturing towards the exit.

"Lead the way magic man," Jake said before another bolt of laugher.

Erick found himself laughing with him. Funny to think that only a short while ago he hadn't even known Jake. Now it felt like he'd known him all his life. He felt comfortable having him around and wouldn't mind adventuring with him in the future. Erick walked up the slope into the sunlight, Walter on one side and Jake on the other.

_Like one big happy family. A haphazard, monster killing family, but hey, I'm not picky._

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**Phew! That chapter ended up a lot longer than it was supposed to be. Well, since you Sparks had to wait another week then I think you deserve a longer chapter. Sorry if it's hard on the ears, my final edit of it was kinda late at night.**

**Since I'm starting school I don't know how much free time I'll have. I just spent two hours on a 19 question math assignment and now I have to configure my PC to run a programing software. Yeah, collage is lame. So I probably won't be able to update on a regular schedule, but I will work on it whenever I get a chance. **

**Thank you again for reading this far and for your wonderful reviews. If it wasn't for you guys, I probably would have quit a long time ago. :3**

**Edit 8-31-13: I forgot to mention, Jake belongs to Niko Bellic's wife. Just FYI, he is straight and so is Erick. Sorry for any confusion, I didn't want to make it seem like they were flirting. -3- (Gosh, I'm embarrassed now...) You will get to know more about Jake next chapter, so be sure to check in!**


	9. Chapter 9: Swamp Meet

**Edit: 8-6-13**

_**Basic grammar and modified/added info.**_

**So, I don't normally update the chapters after I posted them, but I left out some crucial information. So if you have already read this chapter before the above date, please reread it so the next chapter won't be confusing. :P Sorry about that. **

* * *

Erick squinted as they emerged from the cave, but he didn't really need to. The sky was overcast and a thick fog drifted lazily over the swampy ground. Winding trees reached to the sky, but dejectedly bent back towards the earth. There wasn't any movement to speak of, but it felt as if the whole place was breathing. The ground seemed to suck his boots down like a living creature.  
"Ah, you can almost smell the sunlight," Walter breathed as he exited behind him. Isn't it wonderful? The damp, muggy, soggy, sunlight."  
"Is this the right place?" Erick asked. He thought that they were looking for an army. This wasn't exactly where he expected to find one.  
"Yep. This is Mourningwood alright. I hope the people we're looking for are still alive."  
"Why wouldn't they be?"  
"Cause, come nightfall, it's one of the dangerous places in Albion." Walter breathed heavily as his eyes wandered across the placid water. "Well I don't know about dangerous, but I'm starting to get a rash. Bloody swamp."  
"I did not want to know that," Jake said in disgust.  
Erick worriedly lifted his foot off the spongy ground. "Uh, yeah. Let's just get this over with." He bit his lip as he started walking further into the swamp. The trail sloped down and went underneath foggy water. Luckily it was shallow, and didn't go any higher than his knees. The problem was that the water rushed into the top of his boots, completely soaking his socks. He tried to go up on his toes, but it didn't really help any.

"We made a good team back in that cave didn't we?" Walter said, leisurely falling into step beside Erick. "It's been a while since I've been stuck in a real fight. It was just like fighting by your father's side. I'd forgotten what it's like; standing next to a hero."  
Erick's foot suddenly caught on a tree root and he dropped like a rock, falling face first in the water. His hands sunk deep into the river bed and he gasped for air as he pried himself out of the water.  
Walter stopped and looked down at him quizzically. "You all right down there?"  
"Great! Just bloody great!" Erick spat in fury.  
Jake guffawed heartily, wiping away tears of laughter. In return, Erick scooped up a handful of silt and threw it in his face.  
Jake's laughter instantly stopped. He stood there in shock for a moment, then a thin smirk shone through the dark mud. He leapt on top of Erick and started dunking him in the water.  
Walter awkwardly waited nearby as they wrestled in the shallow water. He smiled as Erick got the upper hand for a moment and shoved Jake into the mud. Jake suddenly slipped out of his grasp and bolted away. Erick scrambled to his feet to give pursuit, but Walter grabbed his shoulder to stop him.  
"I think he should get going," Walter said patiently. "I don't want to be stuck out here when night comes."  
Erick dropped his head like a scolded child. "Sorry Walter." He looked up at Jake to see that he was still smiling. They were both covered from head to toe in mossy slime, but Jake didn't seem to care. Erick, on the other hand, was quite upset. He smelled like the sewer. Again. He absolutely hated that damp, grungy feeling of his clothes sticking to his body.  
Erick leaned down and tried to clean his face in the water, but it only smeared the oily mud.  
"Come on, we don't have time for you to take a bath," Jake mocked.  
"Just give me a moment, I think I got something in my eye," Erick lied. He hurriedly scrubbed at his face for a few more seconds before jogging to catch up with Jake and Walter. He continued trying to scrape the mud out of his hair, but it didn't do any good.  
"I never really thanked you for saving me in the caves," Jake said as they started across a thin bridge.  
"It was nothing. Besides, you would have been fine without me."  
"Perhaps, but still. It was very courageous of you." A few moments passed before he continued, a little quieter. "That was pretty violent. What you did to that Hobbe."  
Erick nodded, but said nothing.  
"But it seemed to me almost like you lost control. I know that I haven't known you for very long, but I wouldn't have thought you were capable of such anger."  
"So what? I'm not seeing the problem here," Erick answered, gradually growing more tense.  
"All I'm saying is that maybe you need to tone it down a bit. It's been a while since I saw a man with that kind of hatred in his eyes. And it never turns out well."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You're a good man Erick. I believe that. But that look you had when you killed that Hobbe…" Jake leaned over, his mouth mere inches from Erick's ear. "Those were the eyes of a killer."  
"Lay off! My life is none of your business!" Erick suddenly shouted, shoving him away. The thing that made him so mad was that he knew it was true. Jake looked at him with almost a sympathetic look, but said nothing more.  
Erick noticed Walter looking back at him with a disappointed glance. He shamefully hung his head. All he ever wanted to do was make Walter proud, and he wasn't doing a very good job so far.  
Can't I do anything right?  
They walked in awkward silence. Erick fiddled with the frayed sash around his waist as he looked at the murky ground. That was pretty harsh, should he apologize? It was too late now.  
"I think we're almost there," Walter said after a few minutes. "That must be the place up ahead. What I wouldn't give for a bowl of soup and a hot bath."  
Any bath is fine with me…  
He was looking up at an Albion flag posted on the side of the trail when he saw something under the winding roots of a tall tree.  
"Hold up for a second, I think I found something," Erick said. He bent down and reached under the roots and retrieved a large pistol.  
"What have you got there?" Walter asked.  
"Uh, a gun. Do you want it?" Erick offered.  
"You're the one that found it."  
"Yeah, but I haven't really had the best of luck with pistols…"  
Walter gave a rumbling chuckle. "I'm sure you'll find some use for it."  
Jake went on ahead, but quickly stopped.  
"Cease your movement!" a strong voice demanded.  
"I'm not moving!" Jake answered, holding his hands up in defeat.  
Erick came around the corner to see a soldier aiming a gun down at Jake from on top of a high platform. "Be ye men or be ye Hollow Men?" the man asked.  
"Have you gone daft boy? Open up the doors!" Walter told him.  
"Walter? Is that you?"  
"The very same. Now, are you going to let us in or what?"  
"Right. Yes of course." The soldier turned around and shouted down into the fort. "Open the gate! Tell Major Swift, Walter's here!"  
Walter proudly strode through the gates, Erick and Jake following. The two guards posted welcomed him by name. A shorter man with a ridiculously large black mustache and greying hair waited for him, a pipe held delicately in his gloved hand. Even with his frayed and bloody uniform he was the perfect mix of dignity and elegance.  
"There he is!" Walter announced, firmly shaking hands with the man. "The one and only; Major Swift!"  
"Walter! What the blazes are you doing here?" the Major responded in awe.  
"We came looking for you. I have a proposition."  
"You came all this way to proposition us?" a slender man beside Swift asked sharply. He was about Jake's age and his blond hair gave him a sort of rebellious look, but his eyes contained wisdom beyond his years. "And I thought you were here to save us form the legions of the damned."  
"Ben Finn, it's good to see you," Walter said, ignoring his cutting remark. "I take it the legends about this place are true then."  
"I'll say!" Swift said spitefully. The three men all turned in unison and headed towards one of the decaying walls.  
Swift waved his pipe through the air, the smoke lacing like elegant calligraphy. It trailed behind him lazily as he swung it back around to lay it between his teeth. He had almost a proud strut and a gentle bounce to his walk. He held himself more like royalty than a military man.  
"You've never seen so many Hollow Men in one place. We've been stationed here for weeks! Trying to eradicate them. Mainly, it's us getting eradicated. We lost some good men last night. Including Lieutenant Simmons here." Swift gestured towards a recent grave that was still being filled. "And the buggers will be back tonight!"  
"Logan just loves to send you on the best assignments doesn't he?" Walter said in contempt. "That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about."  
Swift's wary brown eyes glanced over Jake but came to a stop on Erick. "Is this…" he started, looking at Erick skeptically.  
"The Prince. Yes," Walter confirmed.  
Erick gave a tiny wave and a broad smile. Swift's brow furrowed in distaste, as if he was repulsed by the very idea. Not that Erick blamed him. He certainly didn't look like either royalty or military.  
"I'll explain," Walter said. "Just treat him like any other pair of hands for now."  
"Fair enough," Swift agreed. "Captain Finn will show you to the mortar. We could use a body up there."  
"A b-body?" Erick stammered.  
"Take your time and meet me on the wall when you're ready," Captain Finn told him. "I'll introduce you to Private Jammy. So called because he's the luckiest sod in the fort."  
"You'll probably be stuck by that mortar all night," Walter said as Finn turned to leave. "Take a look around first: talk to the men. It never hurts to know who's got your back."  
"I think I'll just head straight up to the mortar," Erick said, starting to turn away. This whole thing was intimidating enough without talking to people.  
Walter stopped him and leaned down to speak with him quietly. "You really ought to meet your fellow soldiers. Remember, it's the mark of a good leader."  
"I'm not a leader Walter," Erick hissed back. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to say."  
"Come on. I'll come with you," Jake said, starting to lead him away. They went to the man filling Lieutenant Simmons' grave. "Go on. Introduce yourself," he urged him.  
Erick cautiously approached. "Uh, hi. My name is Erick. I guess you're the grave digger?" He cringed as he mentally slapped himself, but Jake silently urged him on.  
The soldier solemnly nodded. "Seems pointless really. By tomorrow morning we could all be gone. I'm just glad we found some consecrated ground. Should stop these poor souls form joining the Hollow Men. Who's gonna bury us? That's what I want to know."  
"That sounds a little dismal," Erick said, slightly taken aback by his desolate tone.  
"You need cheering up, talk to Captain Finn. I've buried too many friends today."  
Erick could almost feel a wave of emotion at his words. It stuck him so suddenly, that he was at a loss for words.  
"I'm sorry for your loss," Jake inserted. "I know what it feels like to lose a comrade in war."  
"This isn't war. This is slaughter. We shouldn't be here. None of us deserve this torture."  
"I can fix this…" Erick whispered quietly. He didn't mean for anyone to hear, but the grave digger looked up for a moment.  
"You think so?"  
"Huh? Oh, um," Erick fumbled. It took him a moment to recover his thoughts. "Yes, I can. I have to."  
He looked at him dejectedly for a moment, then a smile brightened his face. "I haven't seen that kind of determination for a long while. I hope that you reach your goal. For all of our sakes."  
"Thank you. I will do all in my power to end your tribulation here." Erick reached out a hand, and he accepted it. "I never got your name."  
"They call me Digger. I hope to see you again Prince Erick." Digger went back to his work, but just a little happier.  
"See, that wasn't so bad," Jake said as they walked away.  
"Yeah. I guess not. I still don't like it."  
"You're getting better. You just need to be more assertive. There's no need to be defensive, these men want to believe in you. You have the makings of a Hero, all you need to do is step up and be the leader that we all need."  
Erick found himself smiling, and lifted his chin just a little higher. Jake gave a small gesture towards a soldier who was practicing shooting cans with an old rifle.  
"Hi, my name's Erick. I just–"  
"Look, I'm trying to concentrate here!" the soldier instantly blurted.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Erick apologized, his face quickly turning red with embarrassment.  
"These things aren't even moving! How am I supposed to hit a Hollow Man?" he cried in frustration. "You don't have any tips do ya?"  
"Uh sure. I'm a pretty good shot."  
"Prove it."  
In one fluid motion, Erick whipped his rifle out and shot a can dead center, sending it flying off the table.  
"Oh, that's just great. No really, thanks a bunch. Well, I'll show you. You'll see… Maybe. One day."  
"You've been over here for quite a while. Have you not even hit one?" Erick asked.  
"Look, I only just joined the regiment. I lied about my shooting skills. Just help me! Please! Captain Finn says he'll through me to the Hollow Men if I don't improve!"  
"I can tell you what I know, but it really all comes down to experience."  
"I suppose I could practice with Hollow Men. But I get all jittery when I see them coming."  
Erick gave an encouraging smile. "I think I can help with that. Here, line up and I'll show you."  
He gave him a strange look, but raised his gun.  
Erick gently adjusted the rifle in his hands. "Don't hold it so tight. Let it sort of fall into place. If you keep your hands further apart, then it will be more accurate. Relax, and focus only on your target. Forget everything that's around you. Take your time, and when you're ready, exhale and pull the trigger."  
Erick stepped back and watched from a distance. The soldier looked back at him nervously. "Don't pay attention to me. It's just you, and that can."  
The solder turned back, and glared as if he was having a staring contest with it. His shaking hands gradually steadied, and his back straightened. He took a deep breath, then let it out as he squeezed the trigger.  
The can didn't even wobble.  
"Gah! This is never going to work!"  
"No no, you were doing good," Erick encouraged him. "You just shot a little to the right. Try switching sides."  
"Switch sides? But I'm right handed!"  
"Just trust me."  
He muttered under his breath as he changed hands. "Switch sides. Like that's going to help. Might as well try shooting with my feet." Nevertheless, he calmed himself down, and focused on the can again. He forced air out of his clenched teeth as he pulled the trigger.  
This time, the can went tumbling off the table.  
"It worked! Ha! It bloody worked!" He cheered. "What made you think to try that?"  
"That's the way my father did it. He wore a patch on his right eye, so he had to shoot left."  
"I can't thank you enough! But I guess this means I'll have to get my eyes checked. Not looking forward to that."  
"No problem. Good luck."  
"You too."  
Jake clapped him on the back as he walked back to him. "That felt good."  
"You're a natural. You probably saved that man's life."  
"I hope so." Erick looked around into the alcove where a man strummed an eight course lute. "I didn't expect to see a musician here."  
"You don't have to be a virtuoso to express real emotion," the man answered, his eyes half closed, his voice deep and dramatic.  
"I play the lute. Not very well though," Erick told him, sitting down on a nearby table.  
"Maybe you're not as attuned to the delicate language of music," he said with a vibrant wave of his hand. "But I'm going for desperate pathos. With a touch of overwhelming tension."  
"You sound pretty good," Erick complimented with a gentle smile.  
"One day I'll compose a great symphony for lute and orchestra about our great deeds here."  
"Could you play something for me?"  
"Sorry, I don't do requests. I only know two chords. I'd let you have a go, but this lute is an extension of my soul. I don't like people poking at my soul."  
Erick thought about going back to the sanctuary for a moment to grab his lute, but decided against it. It might freak people out if he just randomly vanished.  
He continued wandering around the fort, talking to all of the men he met. There were some pretty interesting characters. There was Trevor, the mild and dedicated repairman. He was nice, but he sounded a little dim witted. And Apparently Trevor was just a nickname. Andy and Ernie, the guards at the gate. Ernie got new boots, but they looked exactly the same as anyone else's. He insisted that there were different on the inside, but Erick wasn't exactly eager to find out. He also met a blacksmith, who continued to make weapons. Not out of necessity, but just to keep himself calm. And some other guy that was mesmerized by the burn barrel. He forgot to ask his name. He seemed terrified of the fort. More so than anyone else. He told Erick that he was off his rocker for coming there willingly. Willingly in this case probably meaning not hightailing it back to the city.  
Eventually he and Jake sat with three other men around a roaring fire as the sun was just starting to approach the horizon.  
"Well, look at this! Fresh blood for the big fight. Name's Grove." the man at the back introduced himself as they sat down.  
"They call me Tick," the second one said as he stirred the fire with his blade. "I'm like clockwork see? Nothing to do with the blood sucking insect, honest."  
"Erick. It's nice to meet you. This is my friend Jake."  
"Pleasure," Tick nodded.  
"You look sort of familiar. Do we know each other?" The last man asked Jake.  
"My father was in the military. People always tell me that I look just like him."  
"That sounds about right. They call me Gould. Welcome aboard," he said. "You couldn't have joined us at a worse time."  
"Why is that?" Erick asked as he picked up a ration pouch.  
"Hey, you're new right?" Tick interrupted. "Bit of advice, don't eat the beans."  
"Uh, okay…" Erick looked inside the leather bag, but it was hard to differentiate what type of food was inside or even if it was food. He smelled the contents, but that sure didn't help any. He never would have imagined that he would be forced to eat pig slop. Even so, he sucked up his pride and forced down a few bites.  
"We've only been here for a few weeks. Okay, more than a few, but it feels like we've been here for years. I can't remember the last time I slept though the night," Gould said, taking a drink from a large brown beer bottle.  
"Look! He's doing it again!" Tick continued. He jabbed a finger at the man sitting on the chair in back who just picked up a large book. "Hey, Grove! What's this one about?"  
"Come on, tell us a story," Gould urged.  
"Oh, you wouldn't like it," Grove insisted, not looking up from the book. "Violence, swearing, drunken orgies…"  
"Yeah?" Tick scooted forward as if to read over his shoulder.  
"Yeah, it has none of those. Some of the words are really long."  
"Hey, I get by fine with short ones. In fact, I'm thinking of a few right now!"  
"How can you read at a time like this? We could all be dead by morning!" Gould piped in.  
"I promised Captain Finn I'd read a few chapters of the autobiography he's working on," Grove replied. "And I don't break promises. Dead or not."  
"Bah, what a sycophant!" Tick accused.  
"Syco-what? You ought to do more reading instead of making up words."  
Erick was pretty sure that was a real word, but he decided not to say anything.  
"You got any family?" Gould asked. "I just hope I get to see mine again."  
"Uh, no. Not really," Erick admitted. He didn't think that Logan was worth mentioning.  
"I do," Jake said, taking a small book out of his pocket and scooting closer to Gould. He untied the leather strip and showed him the picture inside. "Here's my mom and dad. In the back is our Granny Aggie. There's my older sister Jennifer. That's my little brother James. He was always a rebellious little tyke."  
Jake moved the book so that Erick could look at it. They were all dressed in humble clothes. A little ragged, but not too dirty. His family was definitely lower class, but they were all smiling brightly.  
"Your father looks really young," Erick observed. "Is this an old photo?"  
"That was taken a week before he died."  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"  
"It's fine," Jake interrupted. He had a small smile on his face, but his eyes looked sorrowful. "He lived a good life."  
"So do you live in Browerstone?" Erick asked after a few moments, eager to change the subject.  
"Used to. I don't really stay in one place for very long. I usually stay with my mother who lives just outside Brightwall. I'm going to Browerstone to visit my girlfriend, Sharon."  
Jake let out a light hum as he lay back onto the hard packed earth. "I've never met a girl that could compare to her. She's beautiful, cheerful, loyal. You know; perfect. I just can't wait until I can see her again. I think I'm gonna ask her to marry me."  
"Really? An adventurer getting married?" Erick chuckled.  
"Ya. Sounds kinda funny doesn't it?" Jake gazed up at the stars, a gentle smile on his thin lips.  
"Do you really think you could settle down and have a family? Just give up traveling?"  
"I'd do anything for her. Anything."  
I couldn't do anything for Elise. What does that make me? Worthless that's what.  
Erick hunched over and hugged his knees, his heart clenching in agony.  
I have to stop thinking about her. She's gone. There's nothing else I can do now. There's no point in thinking about it.  
They sat in silence for a long while, just enjoying the heat of the flames.  
"So what's the prince doing in the swamps of Mourningwood?" Tick asked nervously.  
"I'm gathering soldiers. Walter told me that you lot were some of the greatest men in Albion."  
"Gathering soldiers? For what?" Gould asked after a swig from his beer bottle. All eyes turned to him. Grove even paused in his reading.  
"I'm leading a rebellion against my brother."  
"Usually royalty doesn't care much about the rest of us." Grove took his feet off the chair and set down his book, leaning in closer. "What made you want to leave the castle and join us common folk?"  
They all waited eagerly for his answer, Jake looked directly into his eyes. Erick sighed deeply, then began drawing in the dirt with a gloved finger. After a few moments he continued.  
"One day, Logan executed a factory worker. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't care much. Even at the castle, you don't question the king. Walter tried to talk some sense into him, but he was beaten by Logan's Elite soldiers. My girlfriend Elise, she convinced me to stand up to Logan. I still wish that I had said no and left. I convinced him to spare the leaders of the mob, but at a terrible price. He executed Elise; my dearest friend since childhood. Never did I want the throne more then when I had to bow before it."  
The fire crackled solemnly as the others lowered their heads. Jake was the first to speak. "I'm sorry. I guess I thought the life of a prince was easy."  
Erick gave no acknowledgement. His life was easy compared to what these people had to go through. Until he left the castle he never had to go to bed hungry, or wear dirty clothes. He still wanted to go back. He craved his easy life when all he had to worry about was not embarrassing his brother. Still, he couldn't go back now. Not after he saw what it was like down here.  
"Well, whatever happens you can rest assured that I'll follow you to the ends of the earth." Jake directed his fist towards him and after a few moments he rapped his knuckles against Jake's.  
"Fine."  
"Fine."  
They both smiled at the familiar banter.  
"It'll be dark soon. You better get ready," Grove said absently. "Major Swift's a good man, but we'll be lucky to make it out alive."  
"If we do then I'm buying a farm. Well, a vegetable plot at least," Tick stated. "You spoken to the captain there? I could have been captain you know? I know how to read too."  
"We probably should be heading up to him now," Jake said.  
"Yeah. I'll meet you up there. I'm going to go talk to Walter right quick."  
"Don't be long."  
Erick walked over to talk to Walter, but he was still talking to Major Swift and he didn't want to interrupt.  
"Seen old Daisy lately?" Walter asked.  
"Daisy Dobbins? Ho ho, fine woman. Oh women. Fine creature indeed."  
"You've seen her then?"  
"Well, I'm not one to kiss and tell," Swift said nervously, tugging at his collar. "Ungentlemanly behavior if you ask me."  
"So you haven't seen her then?"  
"Uh, no."  
"Mustache is looking good," Walter said to Swift just as Erick was about to speak.  
"Ah yes, thank you. Heh heh, always had a tradition of darn fine mustaches the Swifts. Still, not a patch on old grandpa Swift's lip bristles. Now there was a fine thicket." Swift noticed Erick and glanced over at him.  
"No time to hang around listening to old men. There's work to be done. Ben Finn is waiting for you," Walter told him.  
"I know. I just wanted to talk to you for a minute," Erick said, nervously scratching his dirty hair.  
Swift nodded and left them alone. Erick breathed deeply before speaking. "I'm sorry to bug you, I just really needed to talk."  
"It's not a problem. Here, have a seat." Walter patted the table beside him.  
Erick slowly walked over and sat next to him, his head lowered. "I–I was just wondering… Well, I was thinking… What if, I don't become king."  
"What do you mean by that? Of course you will be king."  
"That's not what I meant Walter. Why can't someone else take the throne?"  
"What?"  
"Why don't you be the new king?" Erick asked in sudden excitement. "After we take down Logan, then you can take the throne. You're more experienced and you've been Logan's advisor. You know what Albion needs."  
"Erick listen to me," Walter said harshly, grabbing his shoulders. "You are destined to be king. You are the one that needs to stop Logan and take the throne. You're a Hero."  
"I may have the bloodline, but I'm not a hero, in any sense of the word. I'm just not ready for this!"  
"You will be. Trust me. You will be." Walter pulled him close, and held him tightly in his arms. He ran his hand through his wavy hair, dried mud falling between his fingers.  
Erick closed his eyes and laid his head against Walter's chest, immersing himself the rises and the falls and the deep rumble as he spoke.  
"I promised your father that I would watch over you and that's just what I intend to do. You will be a great king. I know it. I will be right behind you every step of the way. If you stumble, I will be there to carry you. You don't have to worry about being alone. Just keep going and remember that I'm always there. You can do this. I believe in you."  
Erick slowly pulled away and blinked away the beginnings of tears. "I think I'm ready now."  
Walter's warm brown eyes lit up with pride. "Make me proud boy."  
A feeling a peace washed over him. He felt invincible. Unbreakable. Deep inside he knew that everything would be alright.  
"I will. I promise."

* * *

**Aw, feels.**

**Well, I hopped you enjoyed it! I was planing on making this chapter longer, but figured that I should end it here so it didn't go on too long. I haven't really been in the mood to write, but I'm starting to get back into it. So hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. The story is starting to pick up now, and soon I will be concluding a few conflicts that arose earlier. There will be a few more original situations coming up fairly quickly, so look forward to that! **

**Also, if you want some behind the scenes material, you can follow my Google+ page where you can see my progress. On books and art. Just search Google+ for WildFire.  
**

**Thank you all for reading! I hope to hear from you all soon!**


	10. Chapter 10: Live Until Mourning

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. College + Writer's Block = not good. I spent a long time on this chapter and I hope you Sparks like it. For added effect, try listening to the song: "HetaOni, Break of Dawn and Saying Goodbye," after the main fight. This was the song that I was listening to while writing that part and I think it fits pretty well. I tried posting it on my tumblr, but no matter what I did it wouldn't work, so I guess you'll just have to look it up. : /  
**

**Enjoy!**

**Edit: 8-6-13**

_**Authors notes**_

**Due to my unorganized mind I forgot to mention that I updated the previous chapter and added a few important things that pertain to this one. So if you haven't read the previous chapter after the above date, I highly suggest you do so. Thank you, and sorry for the confusion.****  
**

* * *

"About time!" Jake complained as Erick came up the stairs. "We were about to start without you."

Erick muttered a quick apology and glanced over at Captain Finn. He put the grenade he was fiddling with, back on his belt and slid off the railing. "Nice to know that you didn't chicken out. I don't suppose you've ever used a mortar before?"

"Uh, no. I haven't," Erick admitted. Was that unusual?

"There's nothing to it. There's always a slight chance of maiming of course, but um. I'm sure you'll pick it up." Captain Finn gave a tight smile and looked at him almost threateningly. It made Erick think that he wouldn't be too heart broken if he did lose a limb. The captain was probably just teasing him, but the thought was unnerving.

"First, I'd like you to meet Private Jammy," Finn continued. "He'll be your loader."

The heavily bandaged soldier snorted as he wiped his broken nose across a tattered sleeve. "Pleasure to meet you!" he said cheerily. "It's true what they say about me ya know; jammiest soldier in all of Albion. Seven-hundred 'n twenty-four wounds and still standing!" he announced proudly.

But if he was so lucky wouldn't he have not gotten hurt? Even now he was covered from head to toe in bloody bandages. Poor fellow was even missing an eye.

Finn laughed at his enthusiasm and turned back to Erick. "Don't worry, you'll get used to him. After a while he's hardly revolting at all. Right Jammy; it's time to show him the ropes."

"Yes sir!" Jammy replied with a casual salute. "Right then. My life's gonna be in your hands, so let's just make sure you know what you're doing, okay?"

"It's a good thing you're lucky then," Erick teased.

Jammy started to give a smile, like he was unsure whether that was a joke or not. "Go on. Grab the mortar, and we'll do some practice shots."

Jake gave him a encouraging thumbs up, but it seemed like he was trying to stifle a laugh.

"Alright, let's see what you've got. See that scarecrow over there?"

Erick quickly scanned the mossy hill and saw the makeshift scarecrow on one of the dirt trails. It was disturbingly quiet. Not even crickets broke the silence. "Yeah, I see it."

"Blow it up. Yeah that's right, let's blow it to buggery. Come on!" Jammy said.

"What did that scarecrow ever do to you?" Jake said sarcastically. Finn and Jammy chuckled, although Jammy sounded more like he was choking on something.

Erick adjusted the mortar by spinning the large crank until it lined up. He took the tinderbox from Jammy and ignited the fuse. A moment later the cannon fired with a loud crack and the scarecrow shattered apart.

"Yes. Yes! Boom! Ya see that? Ya see it? That scarecrow's a goner!" Jammy cheered, practically jumping with excitement. Erick never would have thought that a full grown man would be excited by such a simple thing, but he had to admit; it was pretty cool.

"Beautiful. On to the next one," Captain Finn instructed.

Erick quickly readjusted the mortar and fired off another round, completely destroying the scarecrow.

"Boosh! Ha ha ha! Goodbye mister scarecrow! That was bloody brilliant!" Jammy's bought of laughter ended in an unpleasant splutter.

"Alight Jammy, don't get too excited. You know what happens when you do," Finn told him. "Let's just take care of the last one."

"Just one left." Erick was just about to turn it when Jammy stopped to lean over the railing. "Hang on, I don't remember setting this one up."

"What do you mean?" Erick left the mortar to peer over the edge. It was scrawnier than the others, but somehow more realistic. Only when it started moving did he see the glowing blue eyes. The cross broke and the Hollow Man fell to the ground with a eerie wail. Four others sprouted out of the ground, fully armed. Well, almost. One was missing half an arm. If that counted...

"They're here," Captain Finn breathed. "Start firing!"

Erick scrambled to get back to the mortar, but tripped over the cannon balls, sending them rolling across the battlement. Jammy considerately helped him to his feet before running after the stray balls.

"I got it!" Jake ran forward and loaded the mortar while Jammy and Finn chased after the balls.

"Yes sir! Let's blow these buggers to smithereens! Come on mate!" Jammy cheered him on.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Erick asked Jake.

"Yeah. Sorta. Just shut up and start firing will you?"

Erick smiled as he ignited the fuse. He was a little off this time, but he got most of the group.

"Isn't that satisfying?" Finn asked, socking him in the shoulder.

"There's more comin from the left!" Jammy yelled. "Catch!" He tossed a ball towards Jake and he shoved it in the end.

Hordes of Hollow Men began climbing out of the ground. Erick struggled to keep up while Jake loaded and Jammy shouted commands.

"Oh that's nice, pure class! Beautifully done my friend," Finn complimented him.

Erick cringed as the Hollow Men began shooting up at them.

"No worries, they never hit any–" Finn broke off as Erick fell to the ground with a sharp cry. Erick struggled to catch his breath as he clutched at the wound in his shoulder. Finn looked down at him in bewilderment. "Wow. I've actually never seen that before."

"Hi I'm Erick: Prince of bad luck."

A tiny smile came to the Captain's face as he helped Erick to his feet.

"Sparky, I need you over here!" Jake shouted.

Erick ripped the bullet out of his shoulder with one hand as he lit the mortar with the other. The cannon fired with another bang, rattling his eardrums. He fired as fast as Jake could load, but the Hollow Men just kept coming.

He lost track of time as he fired cannon balls one after the other. The moon was high in the sky when Captain Finn grabbed his shoulder and turned him away. His mouth was moving, but Erick couldn't hear what he was saying.

"What?"

Finn opened Erick's jaw and clamped his hands over his ears. There was a loud pop, and the ringing stopped.

"Better?" Finn asked.

"Uh, yeah. What's going on?"

"We've got a problem."

"They're at the rear gates!" Major Swift's announced loudly from down below. "Take positions!"

Finn was already running down the stairs, but Erick didn't follow.

"Come on! We don't have all night!" Jake yelled, pulling him away from the mortar.

"But, what about–"

"The point is to keep the Hollow Men out," Jammy said as Jake started down the stairs, "if they are already in, there's no point in killing the ones out there."

"All guns on the gate!" Captain Finn ordered. "We can't let them through."

Jammy followed Jake, but Erick took the faster way. AKA, tripping over a stray cannon ball and falling over the edge.

He landed hard on the ground and looked up to see everyone else facing the gate with guns drawn. The thick logs shook as something rammed up against it. Andy and Ernie ran forward to hold up the crumbling gate.

"_Push! Push!"_

"_I can't hold it they're too strong!"_

Andy's foot slipped and he fell to the ground, his side beginning to collapse.

"Get back!" Erick shouted. The words barely escaped his lips as the gate crashed on top of them. Wisps came flying through the opening and instantly submerged in the ground, Hollow Men climbing out moments later.

"Watch that door!" Captain Finn ordered.

Erick was frozen in shock, but the others immediately began beating the skeletons back. No one even batted an eye at seeing Andy and Ernie crushed. He finally came to his senses and joined Walter and Jake, who stood back and shot the intruders from a distance.

"They're coming through the windows!" Finn shouted.

"Divide and conquer!" Gould shouted as they all began to split off to keep back the new comers.

Walter and Jake fired round after round, downing Hollow Men as fast as they came, but Erick had to keep stopping to reload his cumbersome rifle. His uncoordinated fingers just couldn't move fast enough. Then he remembered that he had a pistol too. The one that he found just outside the fort.

A tiny smile formed on his face as he put away his rifle. Now was his chance to prove that he was just as good as them. In one fluid move he grabbed the pistol, ripped it out of its holster and…

_What? Where did it go?_

Erick looked at his empty hand. The pistol was no where to be seen. Walter and Jake suddenly cringed, and he saw Captain Finn buckled over in pain. It took a moment after he saw his pistol lying in front of Finn did he realize what happened.

_Wait, did I just..._

"Nice going butter fingers!" Jake sarcastically congratulated him. "You couldn't have hit him in a worse place even if you tried! …You _weren't_ trying right?"

Erick's face burned in embarrassment.

"It's probably best if you stick with your rifle from now on," Walter said gently.

"Yeah, I'm going to go see if I can help out Major Swift."

"Don't try to hard," Walter chuckled.

Erick backed away and went to help Major Swift, but stopped to help another soldier instead. He had to do a double take when he saw the soldier's weapon. Sure enough, he was beating Hollow Men with a eight-course lute.

"I've written some funeral music just for you. Have a listen," the soldier said, beating a Hollow Man with the lute. It made a loud thud, but didn't break. "Who thought Hollow Men would have such great acoustics?"

"You don't have another weapon? Something less instrument like?" Erick asked.

"Nah, it's about time bloody zombies learned to appreciate music."

"Uh, what ever you say. I'll stick with a sword."

"I call this 'Bash Your Brains' in D minor."

Erick listened the loud twang as he smashed the body of the lute into a Hollow's skull. At least it wasn't the same two cords over and over.

"Ever heard the ballad of Smashed Undead Skulls?"

"Do I want to?" Erick answered softly. A Hollow Man clambered out of the ground, separating him from the lute player. He leaped back as it grabbed for his feet, and ran into someone.

He spun around to see Grove aiming a gun towards him. Grove pushed his head out of the way and shot the Hollow Man between the eyes.

"How are you enjoying your first fight in Mourningwood?" Grove asked as he turned back around.

"I don't think _enjoying_ is the word I'd use," Erick said honestly as he tried to stay out of reach of another skeleton.

"I remember the first time I saw a Hollow Man," Tick reminisced. "I thought that it was just my uncle Benny. He always liked to pull pranks like that. Hmm. Come to think of it, it might have actually been my uncle Benny. Hmm."

"That's nice Tick, but can we talk later?" Erick asked.

"There may not be a later. Might as well talk now," he replied cheerfully.

"Talk less now and you might live to speak later," Grove said.

"I wouldn't count on it."

Erick watched out of the corner of his eye as Grove broke a Hollow Man's ribcage with the butt of his rifle. An instant later, another rose out of the earth and smashed him against the wall, splattering it with blood.

"Grove!" Erick moved to help him, but Tick held him back.

"They don't bother with the wounded." The look on Tick's face showed that he knew Grove wasn't just wounded. Yet he turned away and continued fighting without another word.

Erick lost sight of Tick in the skeletal crowd. He kept hacking his way through the chaos until he ended up by the rear gate with Captain Finn and a few other soldiers.

"You seem to be handling yourself pretty well," Finn complimented him.

"I–I just… Grove… He…" Erick started sputtering, but Finn cut him off.

"Just stick with me alright?"

Erick was too frazzled to answer, so he just nodded. He helped the Captain fight back against the horde, but the Hollows just kept coming. They wouldn't be satisfied until every living soul was extinguished.

Erick spaced out as he fell into rhythm. He had his back turned, so he couldn't see any of the others. He knew that Jammy was beside him, but couldn't always keep him in sight. The monotonous groans of the Hollow Men was all he could hear. He forced himself to focus on Finn's voice as he encouraged the soldiers.

_Please, don't stop talking. I need to know that you're still there._

"Do you know how many graves I've had to dig because of you?" Erick began searching for the source of the voice. Digger was just a short ways off, fighting by himself.

Digger was beating a Hollow with his shovel, and didn't notice the one coming from behind. Erick called out to him, but Digger couldn't hear him. Erick knocked back the Hollow Man in front of him with his rifle, and aimed towards Digger through the mob. He let out a steady breath and fired, but just a moment too late.

The Hollow Man ran a sword through Digger's chest an instant before the bullet hit. The skeleton shattered, but its sword remained as Digger fell to the ground.

"Jammy!" Finn suddenly screamed. Erick whipped around just in time to see Jammy collapsing beside him.

"No!"

He dropped to his knees and rolled Jammy onto his side but he was already dead. There was an unearthly wail and a clatter of bones behind him. He twisted around to see a Hollow Man looming over him with a sickle poised to strike.

Erick didn't even have time to grab his sword before it shattered apart. Finn stood beside the pile of bones. He lowered his sword and offered a hand towards him.

"Mourn later friend."

Erick hesitated before accepting his hand and Finn helped him to his feet.

"It's almost morning. So let's take care of the rest of these buggers shall we?"

Erick nodded and followed Finn as they battled their way to Major Swift. Off in the far corner he saw Tick fighting all alone, surrounded by Hollow Men.

Erick instantly ran towards Tick, ignoring Finn's protests.

_I'm not letting anyone else die tonight. _

As soon as Tick saw him he scowled. "Beat it prince charming! I've got it handled!"

_Not exactly the welcome I was expecting._

Erick stopped just out of reach of the Hollow Men. "You're outnumbered, I just want to help."

"I don't need you!" Tick shouted, still somehow managing to hold back the Hollow Men.

Erick stood there in confusion. Should he help him anyway? It was obvious that he needed it, but he didn't want to go against his wishes. After a few moments he realized what a dolt he was being and began shooting the Hollows, but Tick looked even more furious.

"Back off! This is my fight!"

"What do you mean it's your fight? We're all in this together!" Erick paused as he glanced around the fort. The crowd was beginning to thin out and Erick could see motionless bodies scattered across the ground. There was hardly anyone left standing.

"Wait, where's Gould?"

"They're gone. They're both gone," Tick said quietly. Don't try to stop me." He closed his eyes, and let his sword fall to the ground. It cut a deep gash in his palm, but he didn't seem to even notice.

Erick raised his gauntlet high into the air and slammed it to the ground. Arcs of lightning shot out of the ground and latched onto the Hollow Men's legs like living tentacles. He ripped his hand upwards and the skeletons shattered apart.

"You didn't have to do that!" Tick snapped, turning on Erick. "Why couldn't you just walk away?"

"You think I care wether you live or not?" Erick retorted, his anger fueled by exhaustion. He walked forward and stopped only inches from Tick's face. "You can blow your own brains out for all I care! But you don't have that choice! Why? Because they still need you! These men are dying and they are trusting you to watch their backs! I don't care what you have to do. You can smile, beat your self up, or just break down. What ever it is you forget the pain and push through another day. I know how it feels when everything you cared about in life is gone and you just want to end it all. But you can't! Do you hear me? You can't! Because there are still people who depend on you. Who need you! You think you can take the easy way and just check out? Just leave the rest of us here to fight on alone? Your life isn't yours to take. Now suck it up!"

Tick looked at him, shock and fear shining through his blue eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but dropped his gaze as Major Swift's voice echoed through the fort.

"Victory! All hail the prince!"

Erick slowly turned to see that all the Hollow's were gone, the ground covered in blood and bones.

"Erick," Tick said softly, grabbing his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't think about it that way. You won't tell the others will you?

"I won't. As long as it doesn't happen again."

"I promise."

Erick grabbed Tick's wounded hand and lifted it, pressing a thumb into the wound. Tick cringed, but said nothing. "Let this be a reminder of what happened here. Whenever you feel this pain, remember that you are in my debt. Got it?"

Tick nodded, and Erick released his hand.

"Good. Now let's regroup with the others."

They met Major Swift and the others near the north wall. Erick was relieved to see that Walter and Jake were among them, but that was about it. Only a small handful of soldiers were left and all of them were in bad shape.

"Erick!" Jake called with a broad smile. "I thought you were a goner. Ben said that you just ran off all the sudden."

"Sorry Captain Finn, I had to take care of something," Erick replied.

"I'm just glad to know you're alright," Walter said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"We couldn't have done it without you mate," Finn said with a smile.

"But I didn't do anything. I couldn't stop it. Not any of it."

"Pah! Didn't do anything?" Swift repeated, pipe smoke swirling around his curled mustache. "We would have been slaughtered without you here. I've never seen a man fight with such vigor. Now, who's for a pint?"

Erick's hair fluttered as a tiny blue light skimmed past him. He turned and watched in horror as it sunk into Lieutenant Simmons' grave. Moments later, the ground began to churn and heave and a Hollow began crawling out.

"Lieutenant Simmons! I specifically instructed you to remain buried!" Major Swift said, walking closer and raising a gun to the monster's head.

"Doesn't anyone follow orders anymore?" Finn spat in frustration.

Erick watched as Simmons pulled himself out of the grave, a thick sword in each hand. He towered above the other soldiers and had a huge hole through chest as if he got hit by a cannon ball. A foul green light shone through where his ribcage used to be, matching his sunken eyes. It was a fresh corpse, so he was more of a zombie than a Hollow Man.

Finn and Walter charged. Simmons threw up his arms with a mighty roar, emitting a shockwave that knocked them all off their feet. Erick cupped his bleeding ear as he struggled to stand, head spinning and legs shaking.

Walter and Finn were unconscious on the ground, but Major Swift managed to get to his feet and fired at Simmons' head, which only made the creature more furious. Swift tried to back away, but Simmons threw him against the wall. The lute player charged from behind and hit the back of his knees. Simmons stumbled only for a moment before twisting around and slamming the hilt of his sword on the back of the soldier's neck, killing him instantly.

Erick started to back away in terror. Simmons' jawless face slowly lifted, and swung around until he saw Erick. Erick spun around and ran. He ran, and didn't look back. Maybe he could lead it away from the others. Hopefully they were still alive. He could hear the crushing footsteps behind him and soon felt cold steel dig into his side. The force of the blow sent him flying into the sandbags, where he sat frozen in shock.

He squeezed his eyes shut as Simmons brought his swords high for the final blow, those glowing eyes etched into his memory. There was the loud clang of colliding metal, and Erick looked up to see Jake standing protectively in front of him, somehow holding back the dual swords.

"Move you idiot!" Jake demanded.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving your life! Now move!"

Erick pried himself away from the sandbags and Jake knocked Simmons back before taking off in the other direction. Erick hardly got ten feet when he crumpled to the ground. Blood was pouring out of the gash in his side which went halfway through his abdomen. He struggled to stay conscious as the wound started to heal, sending waves of burning pain.

Jake leapt over the sandbags, narrowly dodging Simmons' attack.

"Hey! Over here you bloated corpse!" Erick taunted, forced his aching limbs to lift him off the ground. Simmons turned to face him, but stayed put.

"Erick run! You can't kill it!"

"I don't have to. I just have to keep it back until sunrise." Erick held his sword out, then dropped it. He provokingly held his hands out wide. Simmons let out a ear splitting roar and barreled towards Erick. He charged his gauntlet, and held his ground.

"I'm the one you want."

Jake vaulted over the sandbags and ran behind Simmons. He leapt up and used the hole in his back as a footstool, chopping off his head. Erick stepped back as Simmons fell to the ground, Jake standing on his back.

"Wow. I'm impressed," Erick said with a smile.

"You reckless fool! I told you to run!" Jake spat in fury, stepping off the corpse. "You could have been killed!"

"So could you," Erick said flatly, a little disgruntled.

"I had it handled."

"Sure didn't look like it from where I was standing."

"I didn't ask you to help me!" Jake jabbed a finger at his face, lips drawn back in anger.

"I don't need an invitation. Why are you so mad? I was only trying to help."

"Because you're a bloody idiot! Do you get some sort of high from getting ripped to shreds? Just because you heal doesn't mean you can't die!"

"I can't lose anyone else!" Erick snapped. Jake paused for a moment, his eyebrows still lowered in anger.

"Oh yeah? Well me neither!"

They stood there for a few moments, each glaring at the other. Then Jake lowered his head with a sigh.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for."

"It's fine," Erick said softly. "I'm sorry I got in your way."

"You don't need to apologize, I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. You just look a lot like my little brother. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."

Erick chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Let's just go check on the others, alright?" Jake was looking at him in shock, his eyes wide and mouth agape. "Jake? What's wrong?"

Jake suddenly slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

"What are you–" Erick broke off as he saw Jake launched backwards out of the corner of his eye.

Erick's breath caught in his throat as he saw Simmons looming over him, his head slowly connecting back onto his body.

"That's impossible…"

Erick barely had time to scramble away as Simmons hacked down with both blades.

He leapt to his feet and sliced at Simmons while his guard was down. He didn't even falter and instantly attacked, the tip of his sword raking down Erick's shoulder. Erick did his best to ignore the pain as he backed away.

"Jake! A little help? Jake?"

He quickly scanned the area for Jake, and saw him lying by the statue at the center of the fort. Unmoving. He had to tear his gaze away as Simmons bolted towards him. He dived out of the way and Simmons ran headlong into the wall.

Erick tried to sever a limb while his back was turned. His blade stuck in the rotting flesh. He twisted and pulled, but Simmons whipped around and gouged a trench in his back. Erick scrambled back without his sword. He reached for his rifle, but it wasn't there.

The gun was discarded on the ground behind Simmons. It would be suicide to try for it. But then again, what did he have to lose? In a panic, he searched for a weapon. He grabbed the first thing he saw; The pistol he accidentally hit Finn with.

_Well, at least I can't hurt anyone else._

Simmons threw back his head and roared in fury as Erick got to his feet.

"Come and get it freak!"

The ground shook as Simmons bolted towards him. Erick kicked off the ground and ran straight for the monster, the gun firing as fast as he could pull the trigger.

At the last moment he dropped to the ground and skidded between his legs, getting off one last shot at his head through the hole in his back. He rolled onto his knees and just when he was about to grab his rifle a sword dug into his side and sent him tumbling across the ground.

Erick slammed into the wall, now completely unarmed.

Wait, not completely.

The gauntlet.

He was already so exhausted and light headed, what would happen if he used it? Well it was a risk that he would have to take. Right now it was do or die.

Erick clenched his fist, lighting arcing around his entire arm. The effect was immediate. His whole right side went numb and his vision started fading to black. Some part of him was screaming for him to stop, but he didn't listen. This was his last resort.

He could barely see Simmons' hulking form approaching. He raised his arm, pain flaring through his joints and down his spine. He released the energy from his palm hitting Simmons with a white bolt of lightning. The electricity ran through his bones, then right back out, causing no damage whatsoever.

Curses. Fire. He had to use fire against Hollow Men. His other gauntlet was back in the sanctuary. His hand instinctively dropped to the Guild Seal on his belt, but he retracted just before touching it. If he left now, Simmons might go after the others while he was gone. He had to believe that they were still alive.

Erick looked to the horizon. The sky lightened every so slightly behind the looming clouds, casting sullen rays over the top of the shattered fort.

_Just live until morning. You can survive that long. Give the others a chance. _

Erick got to his knees just as Simmons was beginning to move again. He vaulted over the sandbags and headed for the stairs. His knees shook with exertion as he crawled up the steps with his remaining strength. He looked down to see that Simmons wasn't following. The Hollow Man stood at the base of the stairs and watched him.

That wasn't exactly what Erick was hoping for. He wanted to get Simmons up into the muted sunlight, but he wasn't taking the bait. At least it would give him a chance to heal.

If only Erick was that lucky.

Simmons crashed into the side of the staircase, making the whole thing crumble. Erick ran for the top, but one final shove and the whole thing came crashing down. Erick grasped for a hold on the edge, but fell short and plummeted to the ground among the rough stone.

Erick cried out in pain as the wall collapsed on top of legs. He could hear a pulsating groan, almost like a laugh. Simmons slowly approached, swords glinting in the firelight.

Wait. Firelight?

Erick spun to see a brazier still lit only feet away. He twisted and began clawing at the ground, slowly prying his legs from the rubble. He got free just as Simmons charged, and dived behind the brazier.

Simmons sliced down at him, blades cutting through the iron brazier like it was made of butter. The curved end of the swords caught in one of the rings. The brazier held fast in the ground as Simmons tried to free his swords. He threw his arms up in fury, tearing the whole thing out of the ground. The hot coals cascaded down on him, igniting his exposed bones and rotten flesh.

But he kept coming.

The flaming creature howled in rage as he bore down on Erick. Erick scrambled back, but there was no place to hide. No where to run. Through the raging fire Erick could see just a glint of sunlight shine over the battered walls.

Erick leapt up and grabbed onto the edge of the alcove just as Simmons came within arms reach. He propelled himself forward and let go, using the momentum to smash into Simmons and send the creature flying backwards.

The clouds parted and the bright morning sun brushed its fingertips over the broken walls. Simmons let out a final roar as the sun caressed his sunken skin.

Erick watched in satisfaction as the creature shattered apart in a brilliant green flash. He would have leapt for joy if not for the searing pain throughout his entire body. Instead, he dropped to the ground in despair. The sunlight felt cold on his skin.

He used his remaining strength to crawl forward and hack off Simmons' charred head, chucking it over the wall. After a few moments, he looked up across the fort where Jake still lay. He pushed the unwanted thoughts to the back of his mind as he got to his feet. He walked to him with scuffling steps.

Jake's skin was pale. His eyes closed.

"Jake?" Erick dropped to his knees, and grasped his cold hand.

Jake's eyelids fluttered and his soft brown eyes rested on Erick.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay."

Jake slowly shook his head. Erick bit his lip, his vision blurred by the beginning of tears. Jake's hand trembled as he raised his hand. He clasped Erick's hand in both of his and whispered, "take care of her, Sparky." A gentle smile came to his face, but quickly melted away.

When Jake's hands slipped away, there was a tiny gold ring nestled in Erick's palm.

"No. Please don't leave. Jake. Don't go."

He was gone. Erick watched the light fade from his vacant eyes. He slowly reached forward, and closed his eyelids. He picked up Jake's pistol from the dusty ground. It would be a shame to leave such a beautiful weapon to waste away in such a godforsaken place. Jake shouldn't have died there.

The only words going through Erick's head were;

_My fault._

Erick searched for anyone still mobile. His heart sank when no one moved.

_Please don't be dead. Someone. Anyone. I don't want to be alone. This can't be happening! It just can't!_

Erick ground his fists against his face as his shoulders shook with sobs. They were all gone. Not a soul left. Surrounded by corpses. All was still. Not even the wind breathed.

There was a gentle weight on his shoulder and Erick glanced behind him.

"Captain Finn?"

"Please, call me Ben," the young man smiled. "We're all brothers in arms here."

He was elated that Ben was alright, but he couldn't bring himself to smile. "The others…"

"They're alright. They should be waking up any minute now. Come on, let's go wake up those old geezers." Ben offered him a hand and started helping him to his feet, but Erick's knees buckled and he fell back to the ground.

Ben bent down and draped Erick's arm over his shoulder, practically carrying him. Erick's heart leapt with joy as he saw Walter begin to stir.

Erick separated from Ben and threw his arms around Walter.

"You're alive. Thank goodness you're alive."

"Of course I'm alive," Walter chuckled. "You didn't think that a bunch of corpses could bring me down did you?"

"No. Of course not." He should have known that he'd be okay. Nothing could hurt Walter. He'd never doubt again. He still didn't let go.

"I can't do this," Erick breathed.

"Yes you can."

"No Walter, I can't! I just can't!"

Erick clenched his eyes shut, but he could still see all the lifeless forms. When he saw all the dead bodies on the ground, it felt like part of his heart went with them.

"You have to. You can stop this. Look at all the people that are still here because of you."

Walter got to his feet and turned him around. He saw Ben rousing Major Swift, and Tick helping Trevor out of the rubble. A handful of other soldiers were getting to their feet, marveling at the glorious sunrise.

"You saved me and Swift, and even Ben. We are alive because of you."

"But Jammy. Jake. The others."

Walter looked over at Jake for a moment, then dropped his head. "I know. Every victory comes at a price."

"I'm scared Walter," Erick admitted softly. "What happens if I lose you?"

"That won't happen. I will always be here for you. You don't have to worry about me."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Erick let his fears fade away as he embraced him again. Walter held him close and breathed deeply. It was warm. A kind of warmth that not even the noonday sun could provide. It burned inside his chest and flittered through his entire body.

_Is this what it feels like to have a father?_

"We're alive! Would you look at that!" Major Swift said in amazement as he stood. "I thought we were goners for sure!" He retrieved his pipe from the ground and looked around at the remaining soldiers. "Who killed Simmons?" he asked Ben.

"Prince Erick. He beat the bugger single handedly!"

"Really? Astounding courage young man!" Swift congratulated him.

"That was pretty darn impressive," Ben added. "So, your father wasn't the last hero of Albion after all."

"We did it! No really, we did!" Major Swift cheered.

"Let the poets tell our heroic tale!" Ben said with a sweep of his arm. "The Swift Brigade fought against impossible odds! They won. The end."

Erick glanced at him, but said nothing.

"Well, Sir Walter; you didn't do too bad. For an old man," Ben teased.

"Neither did you. For a bafoon." The both of them laughed lightheartedly, even Swift let out a chuckle. Erick stayed silent, his brow knitting together.

"Why do you laugh?"

"What?" They all turned to look at Erick.

"How can you be so happy? How can you smile and joke around like nothing happened? They're all dead," Erick muttered softly.

The three fell silent. Major swift chewed on his pipe with an pitiful expression. Walter glanced away, sorrow clearly shinning in his eyes. Ben was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't meant in disrespect. It's just how we cope. We laugh and try to forget that all of our friends lie six feet under. When we were first stationed here we promised that we wouldn't cry. Wouldn't break. No matter what happens, we smile and forget. That's all you can do; forget."

"How can that be better? I don't understand."

"I hope that you never have to." Ben looked him right in the eye, but Erick dropped his gaze.

"Ah, that was just like old times Walter. Just like old times," Swift reminisced as they began walking for the gate.

"So, what do you say? Will you join us?" Walter asked. "With your help we can put a stop to Logan's madness. Bring back the _real_ Albion army."

"I swore to serve my king to the death! We all did!"

Was he really going to refuse just like that? After all they went through. Erick's body relaxed as Swift continued.

"But the isn't the way it was meant to be! The old guard has been shoved aside and these new soldiers Logan's been gathering, they don't care about this land or its people."

"Yeah, and I bet they get paid more," Ben stated grudgingly.

"Major Swift, if I may interject," Erick said.

Swift nodded as he took another whiff from his pipe.

"It was my fault that the Hollows got in in the first place. If I wasn't here then none of this would have happened." Erick's voice was even and void of all emotion.

"That's not true. Why would you think that?" Walter asked in bewilderment.

"If I had done a better job up at the mortar, I could have stopped all of this. But I screwed up. I'm sorry Major, it's my fault your men are dead. You don't want me leading this revolution. I'll just go back where I came from and you can stop Logan. I promise not to get in your way."

Swift was quiet for a moment, taking a huff from his pipe. "Walter has absolute faith in you. And after seeing you in action, so do I. I would be proud to call you my king. All I ask is that you make a soldier's oath. Let your armies protect the people instead of oppressing them. Bring honor back to this uniform."

"Yeah, and don't forget the pay raise." Ben chimed in.

"Shut up Ben," Walter hissed between his teeth.

"Are you sure you want me?" Erick asked. "There are others that would make a better king than I would."

A smile peeked underneath Swift's mustache. "I've never been more sure of anything."

Erick stepped forward, and shook his hand. "I promise."

"Then it's settled," Walter announced. "We're heading back to Bowerstone now. There are some people there that I'm hoping will join us. We'll send for you when we're ready."

"Then I shall bid you good luck and farewell and all that." Swift put his hands in his pockets and looked towards the open gate.

"And just try not to get the rest of these lads killed will you? We're going to need you all."

"You always know what to say to keep morale up Wally," Ben said sarcastically. "Now get out of here."

"Farewell my friends!" Walter waved to all the soldiers as he and Erick started heading through the gate.

Erick paused for a moment, stopping next to Ben. "Can you make sure that…" he looked over to where Jake lay.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of him."

"Thank you. See ya Ben."

"Farewell my prince."

"Farewell."

"Come on," Walter gestured. "You did good today, but we're just getting warmed up."

Erick followed him out the door, rubbing the gold ring between his fingers.

"No matter what you may think, this wasn't your fault," Walter said when they got further away. "You did all you could to stop it, no one could ask for any more."

"I will be stronger next time Walter. I'll make sure that no one else has to die."

Walter nodded and breathed deeply before speaking again. "You know, sometimes you have to accept that you can't save everyone."

"I can't accept that. There has to be something I can do."

Walter smiled. "If there is, then you're the person to do it."

Erick found himself glancing further into the swamp. It was actually quite a beautiful place when it wasn't swarming with corpses.

"If you feel like exploring, go ahead. I'll meet you at the sewers to Bowerstone."

"Thanks Walter. I won't be long."

"Take all the time you need."

Erick followed a trail to the right while Walter headed through the graveyard. He just went around the corner when he saw a portal shimmering on the side of a crypt. He mechanically went towards it and ran his fingers through the foam-like surface. There was a tug in his gut like the jerk from a rope and an instant later he was standing on the Road to Rule.

Theresa stood at her normal place in front of the gate. Erick fixed her with a stern gaze.

"This has been a momentous day," the seeress said, her mystic voice filtering through the fog.

"Really? Has it really? 'A momentous day'? Are you serious?" Erick blurted in anger. "I stood helpless as everyone around me was slaughtered. I watched as Jake; the closest thing I've ever had to a friend, died in my arms and you're telling me that it's been a _momentous day_?"

"Yes, I am. With the support of major Swift and his soldiers, the revolution grows in strength and you move one step closer to being the leader that this kingdom needs."

"Is the revolution the only thing that you care about?"

"If you do not defeat Logan, many more will die. Think about that the next time to try to back out of your destiny." Theresa vanished into the mist, leaving Erick even more furious than before.

Erick smashed his fist against the iron gate, splattering the bars with flecks of blood. What was the point of becoming king if he couldn't save those closest to him?

* * *

**First of all, Turbo61: I'm sorry. Please don't hate me. :'(**

**Okay now down to bis.**

**Hey Sparks! I know, long chapter but I'm not going to apologize for it. I feel like everything in there in necessary, and I wouldn't want to cut any of it out. Did anyone listen to the music while reading it? Seriously, let me know. **

**So how did you guys feel about this chapter? Feely or cheesy? I've been taking a few tips from S. Morgenstern. Heh heh. Yeah… So, my writing has been a little different. Hopefully better, but I'm not entirely sure. **

**This chapter had quite a lot of editing done for a few different reasons. The first draft was pretty, **_**disturbing**_**. I've been having a bought of horrid nightmares recently and they have leaked into my writing. Originally, Jammy was beheaded, the lute player got torn in half, and Erick had to rip out his own intestines to escape Simmons. All of which had very graphic descriptions. So to avoid anyone losing their dinner, I graciously omitted those parts. You're welcome ^~^**

**I've been having a little trouble with my writing lately, so I'd like to take this time to ask for maybe a little bit of constructive criticism. Just anything you noticed that made the chapter seem rough or choppy. Also, please let me know if any part was confusing or didn't quite make sense so I can fix it in the final edit. Thanks!**

**Be sure to check out my DA page for a funny little comic to go with this chapter. (There's also a depressing little sketch if you feel like looking at it. :P)**

**Oh, a little off topic, did anyone get my Imagine Dragons reference? XP**


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